waiting

[ wey-ting ]

noun

1. a period of waiting; pause, interval, or delay.

adjective

1. serving or being in attendance:

   waiting man;

   waiting maid;

   waiting woman.

Other Words From

• waiting·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of waiting¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English (noun); wait, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in waiting, in attendance, as upon a royal personage.

Example Sentences

The teenager left her home and went to Felix, who was waiting in a truck outside while her family slept.

From Los Angeles Times

Police and the army are still at the scene waiting to detain those who are not in need of medical care after resurfacing.

From BBC

If you ever come out of it, we’ll be waiting for you on the other side.

From Salon

On waiting times in the NHS, Morgan said she recognised "that we have a huge amount to do", and said she had announced £28m to help cut long waits.

From BBC

Or, just maybe, it was all a mirage, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and one of its greatest players still lurking, waiting for the moment to strike.

From Los Angeles Times