breaking

¹

[ brey-king ]

adjective

1. (of a news story) currently developing or having happened recently and being released for publication or airing, as on television or radio, in print, or on the internet:

   Our network aims to be your trusted source for breaking news, local weather, and sports.

2. coming into being suddenly:

   When I awoke, it was breaking day over the eastern horizon.

3. changing or collapsing suddenly:

   This is a photograph of a breaking wave in the subantarctic waters of the Southern Ocean.

breaking

²

[ brey-king ]

noun

1. Phonology. the change of a pure vowel to a diphthong, especially in certain environments, as, in Old English, the change of a vowel to a diphthong under the influence of a following consonant or combination of consonants, as the change of -a- to -ea- and of -e- to -eo- before preconsonantal r or l and before h, as in earm “arm” developed from arm, and eorthe “earth” from erthe.

breaking

³

[ brey-king ]

noun

1. break dancing.

breaking

/ ˈbreɪkɪŋ /

noun

1. linguistics (in Old English, Old Norse, etc) the change of a vowel into a diphthong

Word History and Origins

Origin of breaking¹

First recorded in 1930–35; break ( def ) (in the sense “to release a news story for publication”) + -ing ²( def )

Origin of breaking²

First recorded in 1870–75; translation of German Brechung; break, -ing ¹

Origin of breaking³

First recorded in 1980–85; by ellipsis

Word History and Origins

Origin of breaking¹

C19: translation of German Brechung

Example Sentences

He has handled major political interviews and frequently traveled to cover major breaking news stories during his tenure on “Today.”

From Los Angeles Times

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

From BBC

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App.

From BBC

Above all, committed to breaking what her campaign called the Curse of CD 14: over 50 years of council members who got caught up in corruption, used the seat as a stepping stone to higher office or just neglected neighborhoods altogether.

From Los Angeles Times

But Trump has married his demagoguery to an extreme right-wing agenda that calls for disinvestment in public projects and public benefits, replacing federal employees with Trump loyalists, breaking alliances with our more liberal allies while forging stronger ties with reactionary regimes.

From Salon