reading

¹ American  

[ree-ding] / ˈri dɪŋ /

noun

1. the action or practice of a person who reads.

2. Speech. the oral interpretation of written language.

3. the interpretation given in the performance of a dramatic part, musical composition, etc..

   an interesting reading of Beethoven's 5th Symphony.

4. the extent to which a person has read; literary knowledge.

   a man of wide reading.

5. matter read or for reading.

   a novel that makes good reading.

6. the form or version of a given passage in a particular text.

   the various readings of a line in Shakespeare.

7. an instance or occasion in which a text or other matter is read or performed, usually without elaborate preparation and often as a means of testing its merits.

   The playwright wants to have a reading of the play for prospective producers.

8. an interpretation given to anything.

   What is your reading of the situation?

9. the indication of a graduated instrument.

   The reading is 101.2°F.

---

adjective

1. pertaining to or used for reading.

   reading glasses.

2. given to reading.

   the reading public.

Reading ² American  

[red-ing] / ˈrɛd ɪŋ /

noun

1. Rufus Daniel Isaacs, 1st Marquis of, 1860–1935, Lord Chief Justice of England 1913–21; viceroy of India 1921–26.

2. a city in Berkshire, in S England.

3. a city in SE Pennsylvania.

4. a town in E Massachusetts, near Boston.

5. a city in SW Ohio.

---

reading ¹ British  

/ ˈriːdɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. the act of a person who reads

   2. ( as modifier )

      a reading room

      a reading lamp

2. 1. ability to read

   2. ( as modifier )

      the reading public

      a child of reading age

3. any matter that can be read; written or printed text

4. a public recital or rendering of a literary work

5. the form of a particular word or passage in a given text, esp where more than one version exists

6. an interpretation, as of a piece of music, a situation, or something said or written

7. knowledge gained from books

   a person of little reading

8. a measurement indicated by a gauge, dial, scientific instrument, etc

9. parliamentary procedure

   1. the formal recital of the body or title of a bill in a legislative assembly in order to begin one of the stages of its passage

   2. one of the three stages in the passage of a bill through a legislative assembly See first reading second reading third reading

10. the formal recital of something written, esp a will

---

Reading ² British  

/ ˈrɛdɪŋ /

noun

1. a town in S England, in Reading unitary authority, Berkshire, on the River Thames: university (1892). Pop: 232 662 (2001)

2. a unitary authority in S England, in Berkshire. Pop: 144 100 (2003 est). Area: 37 sq km (14 sq miles)

---

Other Word Forms

• nonreading noun
• self-reading adjective

Etymology

Origin of reading

First recorded before 900; Middle English redyng (gerund), Old English rǣdinge; read ¹, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Explanation

You can use the noun reading for something you read and also the act of interpreting or understanding it. Your favorite reading might be science fiction — if you're a true fan, you spend hours reading it daily. There are many closely-related definitions of reading, from a live performance like a poetry reading or a minister's Bible reading, to an individual interpretation of written material, like your feminist reading of classic fairy tales. Meter readers also take readings, or measurements: "The readingshowed that we used much more electricity last month." There are, in addition, several towns in the UK and the US called Reading, but those are usually pronounced redding.

Example Sentences

In that way, the reading will give investors an idea of how buyers responded to lower rates.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

Maybe someone in the White House is reading MarketWatch!

From MarketWatch • Apr. 12, 2026

In the 1980s I bought a house overlooking a river in Connecticut, where I had expected to enjoy quiet weekends reading, gardening and relaxing with friends.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

At Irlam Library in Salford, the outdoor area now includes "story nooks" and immersive play-based reading activities.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

I reach my row, where a guy—whose hair is longer, prettier, and darker than mine—is folded into the window seat, reading a tattered paperback about modern Indigenous music.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• account
• education
• examination
• knowledge
• learning
• lesson
• review
• study
• translation
• version