shortening

American  

[shawrt-ning, shawr-tn-ing] / ˈʃɔrt nɪŋ, ˈʃɔr tn ɪŋ /

noun

1. butter, lard, or other fat, used to make pastry, bread, etc., short.

2. Phonetics. the act, process, or an instance of making or becoming short.

3. Linguistics.

   1. the act or process of dropping one or more syllables from a word or phrase to form a shorter word with the same meaning, as in forming piano from pianoforte or phone from telephone.

   2. clipped form.

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shortening British  

/ ˈʃɔːtənɪŋ /

noun

1. butter, lard, or other fat, used in a dough, cake mixture, etc, to make the mixture short

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Etymology

Origin of shortening

First recorded in 1535–45; shorten + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

First, particularly pertinent to current concerns, is thar “creative destruction operates more rapidly,” shortening the time a company may remain large and competitive enough to stay in the S&P 500.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026

HKEx is also dedicated to improving its market's structure and efficiency, including shortening stock clearing time, she said.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

This provided clear evidence of acromesomelic dysplasia, Maroteaux type -- a very rare inherited disorder characterized by severe short stature and significant shortening of the limbs.

From Science Daily • Feb. 17, 2026

Rain is forecast for Sunday's first day, possibly shortening the Test and limiting the impact spin could have.

From BBC • Jan. 3, 2026

The recipe was guaranteed not to fail by the company which made the shortening.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck