opening

The word “opening” means a gap or hole that allows passage or access. In plain terms, a gap that lets you through, the start of something, or a job vacancy — the context tells you which.

“Opening” is pronounced OH-puh-nihng (/ˈoʊ.pə.nɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “opening” used in a sentence: “They squeezed through a narrow opening in the fence.”

Words with a similar meaning to “opening” include gap, crevice and interspace.

Depending on how it is used, “opening” can be a noun and an adjective.

The word “opening” comes from Old English. From Old English openiende, the present-participle form of the verb open, built the same way as "reading" comes from "read.".

“Opening” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Opening” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a gap or hole that allows passage or access.

Both are gaps, but an 'opening' stresses a way through that allows passage or access — a doorway, or a gap in a hedge. A 'hole' is simply a hollow or gap and may lead nowhere. Every opening is a kind of hole, but not every hole is a usable opening.

Yes. Besides a gap you can pass through, 'opening' often means a beginning — the opening of a film or speech — or an available position, as in a job opening. It can also mean a chance or opportunity. The common idea is something newly open: a way in, a start, or a possibility.

A doorway is a clear example: a deliberate gap in a wall that lets people pass through. Other examples include a window, a cave mouth, a gap in a fence, or the neck of a bottle — any hole or space that allows access, entry, or a way out.