Stating

How to spell stating

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce stating

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does stating mean?

1. verbDeclaring or setting out something clearly and definitely, usually in speech or writing.

Stating in a sentence

• The contract is clear in stating the deadline for delivery.

• She opened the meeting by stating the quarterly figures.

Where does stating come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This is the present participle of the verb 'state', which traces back to the Latin status, meaning 'condition', 'position', or 'standing'. That noun grew out of the verb stare, 'to stand', so the underlying image is of something fixed and standing firmly in place. English took 'state' through Old French estat during the 1200s, first as a noun for a person's rank or condition and later for a body politic. The verb sense of 'state', meaning to set something out plainly or declare it firmly, developed in the 1600s from the idea of fixing a matter clearly. The same Latin root sits inside 'status', 'statue', and 'stable', all carrying that sense of standing steady, which is why the spelling keeps the single 't' before the '-ing'.

How the word is built

• state (from Latin status: condition, standing)
• -ing (present participle suffix)