building

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈbɪl.dɪŋ/
  • Audio (General American):(file)
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Audio (UK):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪldɪŋ
  • Hyphenation: build‧ing

Etymology 1

From Middle English byldynge, buyldyng, byldyng, buldynge, buldyng, boldyng, equivalent to build +‎ -ing. Compare also related Middle English bold (edifice, castle, mansion), from Old English bold (building, dwelling, house).

Noun

building (countable and uncountable, plural buildings)

  1. (uncountable) The act or process by which something is built; construction.
    Synonym: construction
    The building of the bridge will be completed in a couple of weeks.
  2. (countable) A closed structure with walls and a roof.
    Synonyms: edifice; see also Thesaurus:building
    My sister lives in that apartment building.
  3. (mathematics) Synonym of Tits building.
Derived terms
Descendants
  • French: building
  • Haitian Creole: bilding
  • Japanese: ビルディング (birudingu)
  • Korean: 빌딩 (bilding)
  • Tagalog: bilding
  • Tok Pisin: bilding
Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Further reading

Etymology 2

From Middle English beeldynge, equivalent to build +‎ -ing.

Verb

building

  1. present participle and gerund of build

French

Etymology

Borrowed from English building.

Pronunciation

  • (France) IPA(key): /bil.diŋ/
  • (Canada) IPA(key): /bɪl.dɪŋ/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

building m (plural buildings)

  1. tower, skyscraper (tall building)
    Synonyms: gratte-ciel, tour
    • 1968, Gérard Bourgeois, Jean-Max Rivière, “Le diable est anglais”, performed by Brigitte Bardot:
      Moi je l'ai vu remonter Carnaby Street / Je l'ai suivi et je sais où il habite / Dans un building de cent mètres de haut / Où sur chaque porte est inscrit "Satan and Co"
      I saw him go up Carnaby Street / I followed him and know where he lives / In a tower one hundred meters tall / With "Satan and Co" written on every door
    • 1990, Antoine de Caunes, C'est bon mais c'est chaud, Paris: Pocket, →ISBN, page 71:
      Je contemplai évasivement l'alignement des buildings, tandis que nous redescendions vers Times Square, par Broadway, un peu plus secoués qu'un canoë s'approchant des Niagara.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • 1994, Serge Brussolo, Le Chien de minuit, Paris: Librairie des Champs-Élysées, published 1997, →ISBN, page 44:
      D'en bas, des trottoirs, on n'avait pas conscience de l'importance de l'azur, les buildings le cachaient, on n'en apercevait que des portions congrues.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Further reading