opening
Noun pluralopenings
Pluralopenings
- 1Coming at or relating to the start of something, such as a series of events, a speech, or a cricket innings, where the opening batsmen and bowler begin play.
The opening chapter introduces the main characters.
His opening statement laid out the argument clearly.
UsageComes before the noun, as in opening night, the opening ceremony and opening remarks.
- 2Present participle of open.
The store is opening earlier during the holiday season.
They are opening a new branch downtown next week.
UsageAs a verb it takes its object directly (after opening the door); the noun puts of before it (the opening of the door).
- 3The first time a play, show, or exhibition, or a new building or business, opens to the public, or the event held to mark it.
Hundreds of people lined up for the opening of the new library, and the mayor cut the ribbon at exactly ten o'clock.
Nerves ran high backstage before the company's opening.
UsageUsually the opening of a place or show; a play's first public night is its opening night.
- 4A gap that allows passage through something.
A narrow opening in the rock face let the climbers reach the cave.
Cold air poured through the opening where the window had broken.
UsageUsually in for what the gap is cut into: an opening in the fence, in the rock.
Similargap, hole, aperture, crack
Note
The most concrete of the nouns: a gap or hole that something can pass through. Surgeons and engineers use it plainly for a hole made on purpose. The Medical Record of 1894 asks only for a sufficiently large opening, and a 2023 RAIL article has excavators reaching through the openings.
- 5The beginning or first part of something, such as an inquiry, a speech, a book, or a piece of music.
The opening of the inquiry marked a turning point in the case.
The novel's opening is slow, but the final chapters are gripping.
- 6An act or instance of making something open, or of it becoming open.
The automatic opening of the doors startled the new visitors.
The gradual opening of the petals revealed bright yellow centers.
Oppositeclosing
- 7An available place that has not yet been filled, especially a job; also a free spot in a group or lineup, or a free time for an appointment.
There's an opening in the accounting department starting next month.
He filled the opening left by the retiring manager.
UsageFor the job, in the team or department: an opening for an engineer, an opening in sales.
- 8An opportunity, especially in a competition or contest.
The boxer spotted an opening and landed a quick jab.
The negotiator looked for any opening to break the deadlock.
UsagePeople see, spot or look for an opening; in sports reports a side carves out one.
Similaropportunity, chance, window
Note
Sports reporting has its own verb for this: a side carves an opening. The BBC's 2010 account of Liverpool against Wolverhampton has the Reds carving the first opening of the second period. The word sits between a gap and a chance. It is a space the opponent has left, but it still has to be used, and Ngog hooked his wide from six yards.
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 1 fact
- The BBC's 2010 Liverpool–Wolverhampton report describes Liverpool carving the first opening of the second half and David Ngog hooking the resulting chance wide from six yards. Wiktionary dates and attributes the report to BBC journalist Sam Sheringham on 29 December 2010. en.wiktionary.org
Less common meanings
- 9The first few moves in a game, such as chess.
She favors an aggressive opening that pressures her opponent early.
Grandmasters memorize hundreds of openings.
Oppositeendgame
Note
Chess players treat this as a field of study, paired with the endgame at the other end of the game. A serious player studies openings and endgames. Openings are recognized, often catalogued lines of play, which is why the word so often appears in the plural, as a repertoire to be learned.
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 4 facts
- The opening and endgame are the beginning and final phases recognized in chess theory. en.wikipedia.org
- Chess training includes studying openings and endgames. new.uschess.org
- Recognized opening lines are catalogued in reference works. en.wikipedia.org
- Players specialize in sets of openings called opening repertoires. en.wikipedia.org
- 10In mathematical morphology, the set obtained by first eroding a set and then dilating the result, using the same structuring element.
Showing meanings only.
opening is a form of open
open, verb: To move a door, lid, cover or seal so that something is no longer shut or sealed, or to become no longer shut, giving access or a way through. Full entry
- Spelling
- open → opening: add -ing
Practice
Can you tell the meanings of opening apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.
Origins
This form comes from Middle English openynge, from Old English openiende, the present participle of the verb meaning "to open" (open + -ing). It is related to Dutch openend, German öffnend, and Swedish öppnande.
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 4 facts
- The participial form opening descends from Middle English openynge and Old English openiende. en.wiktionary.org
- Old English openiende is the present participle of openian, meaning to open. en.wiktionary.org
- Opening is the present-participial formation open + -ing. en.wiktionary.org
- The participial form is cognate with Dutch openend, German öffnend, and Swedish öppnande. en.wiktionary.org
This noun comes from Middle English openyng, from Old English openung ("an opening"), formed from open + -ing. It is related to West Frisian iepening, Dutch opening, German Öffnung, and Swedish öppning.
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 4 facts
- The noun descends from Middle English openyng. en.wiktionary.org
- Its Old English ancestor is openung, meaning ‘an opening’. en.wiktionary.org
- Its formation corresponds to open plus -ing. en.wiktionary.org
- It is related to West Frisian iepening, Dutch opening, German Öffnung, and Swedish öppning. en.wiktionary.org