# belonging

Pronunciation: US say "bi-LAWNG-ing" /bɪˈlɔŋɪŋ/; UK say "bi-LONG-ing" /bɪˈlɒŋɪŋ/

## Noun

1. A physical thing that someone owns, chiefly used in the plural for the things a person has.
   - Simple: An object that a person owns, usually talked about in the plural as belongings.
   - _The silver locket was her most treasured belonging, a gift from her grandmother._
   - _Travelers should keep their belongings close in crowded stations._
2. The feeling of fitting in and being accepted as part of a group or place.
   - Simple: A warm feeling that you fit in and are part of a group.
   - _Volunteering at the shelter gave him a renewed sense of belonging._
   - _The workplace fostered belonging by celebrating each team member's contributions._

## Verb

3. Present participle and gerund of belong. — present participle and gerund of belong
   - Simple: Present participle of belong. Often used as a noun-like word naming the state of being part of something.
   - _Belonging to several committees kept her schedule completely full._
   - _She values belonging to a tight-knit professional community._

## Noun

4. A person's family, relatives, and household, considered together. *(dated)*
   - Simple: The people in your family and household, taken all together.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–2, 4** — Formed from the verb "belong" combined with the suffix "-ing".
**Meaning 3** — From Middle English "belonginge" (also "belanging", "belangand"), equivalent to "belong" plus the suffix "-ing".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/belonging (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).