Becoming

How to spell becoming

8 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce becoming

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does becoming mean?

1. verbPresent participle of become: growing to be, or coming to be, something.
2. adjectiveAttractive or suitable on a particular person; flattering.

Becoming in a sentence

• verb

  The office is becoming too small for the growing team.

• adjective

  The deep blue dress was very becoming on her.

• verb

  She is becoming a respected authority in her field.

• adjective

  He greeted the guests with a becoming modesty.

Where does becoming come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This word grows from the Old English verb becuman, formed from the intensive prefix be- and cuman, meaning 'to come' or 'to arrive at'. In the earliest usage becuman literally meant 'to come about' or 'to happen', and from that sense of arriving at a state developed the modern meaning of growing into or turning into something. The adjective sense, 'attractive' or 'suitable', arose in the late Middle Ages from the idea of something that 'comes well' to a person, that is, befits or suits them gracefully. The same cuman root sits inside the everyday words 'come' and 'welcome', which is a useful reminder that the spelling keeps the single -m- of 'come' and simply adds -ing rather than doubling the consonant. English has carried both the literal and the flattering sense forward since the medieval period, and the participle form has been spelled with one m throughout.

How the word is built

• be- (intensive prefix)
• come (Old English cuman: to come, to arrive)
• -ing (participle/adjective suffix)