noun
Common
clearing
KLEER-rihng
Clearing (noun) means an open area within a forest or wooded area with no trees. Example: “Deer were grazing in a sunny clearing among the pines.”
noun
1
An open area within a forest or wooded area with no trees.
"Deer were grazing in a sunny clearing among the pines."
"We stopped for lunch in a quiet clearing beside the stream."
"They pitched their tent in a small clearing."
2
The processing of financial transactions, such as checks or payments, through a central system.
"Cheques usually take a few days to pass through clearing."
"The clearing system helps money move safely between different banks."
"The payment is still going through the bank's clearing process."
How to use clearing
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn open gap in a forest — or, in finance, the settling of a transaction.
Common pairings
forest clearing
clearing house
bank clearing
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Word forms
- Plural
- clearings
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Deer were grazing in a sunny _____ among the pines.
Etymology
Formed from clear and -ing.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for clearing
See all rhymes for clearing →Frequently asked questions
What does “clearing” mean?
The word “clearing” means an open area within a forest or wooded area with no trees. In plain terms, an open gap in a forest — or, in finance, the settling of a transaction.
How do you pronounce “clearing”?
“Clearing” is pronounced KLEER-rihng (/ˈklɪɹ.ɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “clearing” in a sentence?
Here is “clearing” used in a sentence: “They pitched their tent in a small clearing.”
What part of speech is “clearing”?
“Clearing” is a noun.
Is “clearing” a common word?
“Clearing” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “clearing” have?
“Clearing” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an open area within a forest or wooded area with no trees.
What is the difference between a clearing and a glade?
Both words name an open, treeless space inside a forest. Glade is the more literary or poetic choice, while clearing is the everyday word and can suggest the space was deliberately cleared of trees.
How is the word clearing used in banking and payments?
In finance, clearing is the processing of transactions, such as checks or payments, through a central system. It covers the steps between a payment being initiated and the money actually changing hands.
What is the difference between clearing and settlement?
Clearing is the processing stage of a financial transaction, when details are checked and instructions are matched through a central system. Settlement is the final step, when the money or assets are actually transferred. Clearing prepares the transaction; settlement completes it.
Is a clearing in a forest natural or man-made?
It can be either. A clearing is simply an open area within a forest with no trees, whether it formed naturally — for example after a fire — or was created by people felling trees. The word itself does not say how the space came to be open.
