Causing

How to spell causing

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce causing

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does causing mean?

1. verbBringing about or making something happen, especially a particular result or effect.

Causing in a sentence

• The roadworks were causing long delays for the morning commute.

• A small leak in the roof was causing damage to the ceiling below.

Where does causing come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This is the present participle of the verb 'cause', which English took from the Old French 'causer' and ultimately from the Latin 'causa', a noun meaning 'a reason, a motive, or a legal case'. In Roman usage 'causa' covered both the abstract idea of why something happens and the very practical matter of a lawsuit, which is why we still talk about a legal 'case' and a worthy 'cause' from the same root. The verb sense, 'to bring about', grew naturally from the idea of being the reason behind an outcome, and it settled into English during the 1300s. When the suffix '-ing' is added, the silent final 'e' of 'cause' is dropped before the vowel, leaving 'causing', and that quiet disappearance of the 'e' is the small spelling point to watch. The same 'causa' lineage also gave us 'because' (originally 'by cause') and 'excuse', so the family is large and familiar.

How the word is built

• caus- (from Latin causa: reason, motive)
• -ing (present participle suffix)