DictionaryAI

belonging

bi-LAWNG-ing/bɪˈlɔŋɪŋ/UKbi-LONG-ing/bɪˈlɒŋɪŋ/

Pluralbelongings

4 meanings of belonging

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountableplural
    An object that a person owns, usually talked about in the plural as belongings.

    That old guitar is his favorite belonging.

    The hotel stores lost belongings in a locked room.

    Similarpossession, thing

    Note
  2. 2
    noununcountable
    A warm feeling that you fit in and are part of a group.

    Like feeling at home when you are with good friends.

    Joining the choir gave her a deep sense of belonging.

    Many new students struggle at first to feel any belonging.

    Similaracceptance, inclusion

    Oppositealienation, exclusion

    Note
  3. 3
    verb
    Present participle of belong. Often used as a noun-like word naming the state of being part of something.

    Belonging to a club can help you make new friends.

    He talked about belonging to the team for ten years.

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 4
    noundatedcountable or uncountableplural
    The people in your family and household, taken all together.
    As soon as the principal personages were seated, the verandah of the house was filled silently by the muffled-up forms of Lakamba’s female belongings.
    1896, Joseph Conrad, An Outcast of the IslandsHere, belongings means family and household members, so these are the women of his household.
    When Lady Kew said Sic volo, sic jubeo [Thus I will, thus I command], I promise you few persons of her ladyship’s belongings stopped, before they did her biddings, to ask her reasons.
    1854, Arthur Pendennis [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], The NewcomesHere, belongings means family and household, the people related to her or living with her.

    Similarfamily, relatives, kin

    Note

belonging is a form of belong

belong, verb: To be owned by someone, or to be a part of something bigger. Full entry

Forms
belongbelongs he/she/itbelonging -ing formbelonged past tense, past participle
Spelling
belong → belonging: add -ing

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of belonging apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–2, 4

This comes from the word "belong" plus the ending "-ing".

Meaning 3

This comes from the older English word "belonginge", made from "belong" plus "-ing".