rooting

¹ American  

[roo-ting, root-ing] / ˈru tɪŋ, ˈrʊt ɪŋ /

noun

1. 

   a small or newly growing root of a plant, especially as used in plant propagation.

   Cuttings, rootings, and bulbs can be sourced from your local garden store.

2. the process of propagating plants from small sections of a root or rhizome or by forcing the growth of new roots.

   Most plant rootings can be done in water.

   A long, supple lower limb is carefully bent so it touches the ground and stripped of leaves and small shoots where the rooting is to take place.

3. the act or process of growing roots.

   Simply by adding compost to the soil you will aerate it and improve the rooting and growth of your shrubs and trees.

4. the act or process of implanting or stabilizing something, as though it were a plant root.

   The above-ground installation takes place after the rooting of the footing sections.

5. the act or process of firmly fixing or establishing something, or the state of being firmly fixed or established.

   The rooting of a person's attention in the present moment allows flotation to have a similar effect to that of meditation.

   Our teaching methods clarify concepts and provide students with a rooting in real business practices.

6. the state of being the source, origin, or basis of something.

   For a concept to have meaning it must have some rooting in our experience, at least by analogy.

7. Digital Technology. the act or process of gaining access to or manipulating the operating system of an electronic device, as a smartphone, tablet, or gaming system.

   The rooting is done in three steps, and the tablet will reboot at the end of each step.

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adjective

1. of or relating to the roots or rhizomes of plants.

   The rooting system consists of a short, thick taproot and vigorous, rhizomatous, creeping roots.

2. of or relating to the propagation of plants by growing them from pieces of roots.

   Keep the rooting media evenly moist, but never soggy.

3. Digital Technology. of or relating to gaining access to or manipulating the operating system of an electronic device, as in order to alter system files or settings.

   The rooting process involves the modification of system files that communicate directly with the device's hardware.

rooting ² American  

[roo-ting, root-ing] / ˈru tɪŋ, ˈrʊt ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or result of digging up or turning over soil, especially with the snout.

   The nature guides say there are no wild boar here, but we have found clear evidence of rootings, and we’re backed up by local sighting reports.

2. the act of searching for or unearthing something: .

   All inquiries, charges, rootings through the evidence, and rehashings of the past were abandoned; the country moved on

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adjective

1. having to do with turning over or digging up soil.

   The rooting activities of armadillos can damage the below-ground portions of native vegetation.

rooting ³ American  

[roo-ting, root-ing] / ˈru tɪŋ, ˈrʊt ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of cheering on or supporting a person or team (often used attributively).

   In spite of all the rooting and automatic qualification for being the host country, the United States did not get beyond the second round.

   The rooting section for the young patient includes her parents and her 10-year-old brother.

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Etymology

Origin of rooting¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; root ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses; root ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses

Origin of rooting²

First recorded in 1570–80; root ² ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses; root ² ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses

Origin of rooting³

root ³ ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rooting

Ben Collins: Although I'm rooting for British tight end Seydou Traore in his rookie year, this could be a long season for the Dolphins.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

And intriguing developments—such as Christopher’s newfound magical ability to inhabit the minds of animals or the introduction of a villain finally worth rooting against—don’t yet cohere into a deeper meaning.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

I have spent most of my life rooting for anonymous Padres and Chargers squads that nobody in the national media cares about.

From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2026

I used to think I was rooting on Statham’s side for better material.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

They don’t tell me to stay safe or nothing like that because they know what’s what, but they’re no doubt rooting for me.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera

Related Words

• acclaim
• accolade
• kudos
• ovation
• praise
• standing ovation