teaching

The word “teaching” means a belief or principle put forward by a religious, philosophical, or other respected authority. In plain terms, either the job of being a teacher, or a specific lesson or belief that someone respected has passed on.

“Teaching” is pronounced TEET-shihng (/ˈtiːt͡ʃɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “teaching” used in a sentence: “The monk's teachings emphasised compassion and patience.”

“Teaching” is a noun.

The word “teaching” comes from Old English. From Old English tæcung, "instruction," built from teach plus "-ing.".

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

“Teaching” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a belief or principle put forward by a religious, philosophical, or other respected authority.

The two overlap closely. A teaching is any belief or principle put forward by a respected authority, while a doctrine is a teaching that has been formally adopted and codified as official. All doctrines are teachings, but a teaching becomes a doctrine only once a body officially endorses it.

'Love your neighbour' is a well-known religious teaching, and 'know thyself' a famous philosophical one. The teachings of figures such as the Buddha, Confucius, or the great philosophers are the principles and lessons they set out for others to understand and live by.

In this sense the plural 'teachings' is common because it names the whole body of principles linked to a person or tradition — 'the teachings of Aristotle' or 'the teachings of the church.' It gathers the collected beliefs, lessons, and guidance handed down by that authority into one term.