Fading

How to spell fading

6 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce fading

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does fading mean?

1. adjectiveGradually losing colour, brightness, strength, or clarity.
2. verbPresent participle of fade: in the process of growing dim, weak, or less distinct.

Fading in a sentence

• adjective

  The fading light made it difficult to finish reading outdoors.

• verb

  The music was fading slowly as the credits rolled.

• adjective

  She pointed to the fading paint on the garden fence.

• verb

  Her memory of that holiday is gradually fading now.

Where does fading come from?

Language of origin: French

This word is built on the verb 'fade', which came into English in the 1300s from the Old French 'fader', meaning 'to grow pale, wither, or lose strength'. That French verb rested on the adjective 'fade', meaning 'pale, weak, or insipid', which is thought to come from a Latin source, probably a blend of 'vapidus' (flat or spiritless, the ancestor of 'vapid') with 'fatuus' (foolish or tasteless). The early English sense was very physical: colours, flowers, and light literally losing their vividness. From there the meaning spread to sound dying away, memories growing dim, and strength ebbing. The spelling point worth remembering is that the silent 'e' of 'fade' is dropped before the '-ing' ending is added, giving 'fading' rather than 'fadeing'.

How the word is built

• fade (to lose colour or strength)
• -ing (present participle / adjectival suffix)