editing
UK[ˈɛdɪtɪŋ]US[ˈɛdɪtɪŋ]
n
The process of correcting, adapting, or refining written, audio, or video material.
gerund
The act of making changes to a text, film, or recording to improve it or prepare it for publication.
Morpheme Breakdown
edit
ing
edit
to prepare for publication
ing
noun-forming suffix
Etymology
The word 'editing' is built upon the verb 'edit', which entered English in the late 18th century from the Latin editus, meaning 'published' or 'given out', itself from edere (ex- 'out' + dare 'to give'). The core concept is the act of bringing something out for public consumption. The suffix '-ing', of Germanic origin, transforms this action into a noun denoting the process itself. Thus, the literal 'act of giving out' evolved through the specific context of preparing manuscripts for the press into the modern abstract meaning of revising and refining any media content for presentation.
Analysis
Structure: edit (to prepare for publication) + ing (noun-forming suffix)
- edit: From Latin editus, past participle of edere (to give out, publish). Functional role: Core verb root.
- ing: From Old English -ung, -ing, a suffix forming nouns from verbs, indicating an action or its result. Functional role: Derivational suffix.
Examples
She spent the afternoon on the meticulous editing of her novel's final chapter.
Video editing requires both technical skill and a good sense of timing.
His job involves the editing and fact-checking of news reports before they are published.