Using

How to spell using

5 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce using

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does using mean?

1. verbPresent participle of 'use': employing something as a means or tool to achieve a purpose.

Using in a sentence

• She paid the bill using her phone at the checkout.

• He fixed the shelf using only a screwdriver and some glue.

Where does using come from?

Language of origin: French

This is the present participle of the verb 'use', which English took from the Old French verb 'user', meaning to employ, to make use of, or to wear away through handling. That French verb descended from the Latin 'uti', meaning to use, employ, or enjoy the benefit of, whose past participle 'usus' also gave English the noun 'use'. The word arrived in English in the 1200s and quickly became one of the most common verbs in the language. The spelling trap is small but real: because the base verb ends in a silent 'e', writers occasionally keep it and produce 'useing', when the rule is to drop the final 'e' before adding '-ing'. The same Latin 'uti' root also lies behind 'usual', 'utility', and 'utensil', all words about putting things to practical service.

How the word is built

• us- (root from use, meaning to employ or make use of)
• -ing (present participle / gerund suffix)