leading

¹ American  

[lee-ding] / ˈli dɪŋ /

adjective

1. chief; principal; most important; foremost.

   a leading toy manufacturer.

2. coming in advance of others; first.

   We rode in the leading car.

3. directing, guiding.

   Synonyms:

   ruling

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noun

1. the act of a person or thing that leads.

leading ² American  

[led-ing] / ˈlɛd ɪŋ /

noun

1. a covering or framing of lead.

   the leading of a stained-glass window.

2. Printing. lead.

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leading ¹ British  

/ ˈliːdɪŋ /

adjective

1. guiding, directing, or influencing

2. (prenominal) principal or primary

3. in the first position

   the leading car in the procession

4. maths (of a coefficient) associated with the term of highest degree in a polynomial containing one variable

   in 5x² + 2x + 3, 5 is the leading coefficient

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leading ² British  

/ ˈlɛdɪŋ /

noun

1. Also called: interlinear spacing.  printing the spacing between lines of photocomposed or digitized type

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Other Word Forms

• leadingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of leading¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (noun); lead ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; lead ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun sense

Origin of leading²

First recorded in 1400–50; lead ² + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

“These developments underscore the resurgence of London’s capital markets and its returning appeal as a leading listing destination,” Manickavasagar said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Soon, there would be Saturdays with one of our college football teams, then Sundays with the NFL then, the baseball playoffs, leading to the insane Game 7 and morphing into the annual Lakers winter drama.

From Los Angeles Times

The same thing happens in November, leading to a runoff decided by a communal game of rock, paper, scissors.

From Los Angeles Times

And every Brit’s hero, Stirling Moss—one of the leading British drivers before his retirement in 1962—was on the board.

From Barron's

There is some opposition not just to a woman leading the Church, but to women becoming priests at all in the wider Anglican Communion, both in the UK and abroad.

From BBC

Related Words

• best
• dominant
• famous
• main
• noted
• outstanding
• popular
• preeminent
• principal
• prominent
• top
• well-known