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adjective

wading

Wading (adjective) means Suitable or fit for walking through water on foot, especially shallow water. Example: “She rolled up her trousers and picked her way across the wading section of the river.”

adjective
1
Suitable or fit for walking through water on foot, especially shallow water.
"She rolled up her trousers and picked her way across the wading section of the river."
"The park has a shallow wading pool for young children."
2
Describing a bird that walks through shallow water to feed, typically one with long legs.
"Herons and storks are wading birds that hunt fish in shallow water."

How to use wading

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWalking through water, mud, or something similarly thick, or (for a bird) built for doing exactly that.

Common pairings
wading pool wading bird wading through the shallows
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She rolled up her trousers and picked her way across the _____ section of the river.

Etymology

From wade plus the suffix -ing; wade itself traces back through Old English to a very old Germanic root meaning "to go" or "to advance".

Origin: Old English

Rhymes for wading

See all rhymes for wading →

Frequently asked questions

What does “wading” mean?

The word “wading” means suitable or fit for walking through water on foot, especially shallow water. In plain terms, walking through water, mud, or something similarly thick, or (for a bird) built for doing exactly that.

How do you use “wading” in a sentence?

Here is “wading” used in a sentence: “She rolled up her trousers and picked her way across the wading section of the river.”

What part of speech is “wading”?

“Wading” is an adjective.

Where does the word “wading” come from?

The word “wading” comes from Old English. From wade plus the suffix -ing; wade itself traces back through Old English to a very old Germanic root meaning "to go" or "to advance".

How many meanings does “wading” have?

“Wading” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: suitable or fit for walking through water on foot, especially shallow water.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial