siding

American  

[sahy-ding] / ˈsaɪ dɪŋ /

noun

1. a short railroad track, opening onto a main track at one or both ends, on which one of two meeting trains is switched until the other has passed.

2. any of several varieties of weatherproof facing for frame buildings, composed of pieces attached separately as shingles, plain or shaped boards, or of various units of sheet metal or various types of composition materials.

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siding British  

/ ˈsaɪdɪŋ /

noun

1. a short stretch of railway track connected to a main line, used for storing rolling stock or to enable trains on the same line to pass

2. a short railway line giving access to the main line for freight from a factory, mine, quarry, etc

3. material attached to the outside of a building to make it weatherproof

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Other Word Forms

• unsiding adjective

Etymology

Origin of siding

First recorded in 1595–1605; side ¹ + -ing ¹

Explanation

Siding is what a home builder covers the outside walls of a house with. Some houses have old aluminum siding or newer vinyl siding. Older houses that haven't had new siding applied are likely to have some type of wooden siding, like shingles or clapboards, unless they're made out of brick or stone. It's less expensive to maintain a house with plastic, or vinyl, siding because it doesn't have to be painted every few years. A completely different kind of siding is a track that runs beside the main train tracks, used for storing train cars or allowing one train to pass another.

Example Sentences

The judge dismissed the lawsuit, siding with the district’s argument that students shouldn’t be able to sue based on what they are taught in class.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

The demonstrations were over persistent power and water shortages, culminating in the army siding with the demonstrators.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

The vast majority of products and materials needed for housing projects are already produced domestically: steel in Arkansas and Nebraska, drywall in California, and siding in Missouri.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

However, a federal appellate court shot down the argument, siding with prosecutors who said the U.S. hadn’t recognized him as the legitimate head of Panama.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

In late morning, the Nesci Brothers Circus train pulls up on a siding next to ours.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

Related Words

• cladding
• covering