performing
UK[pəˈfɔːmɪŋ]US[pərˈfɔːrmɪŋ]
adj
Engaged in or relating to the act of performing, especially in the arts or entertainment.
n
The action of carrying out or accomplishing a task, duty, or function.
Morpheme Breakdown
per
form
ing
per
completely
form
shape
ing
present participle suffix
Etymology
The word 'performing' is built upon the verb 'perform', which entered English in the 14th century from Anglo-Norman performir, itself derived from Old French parfournir. This Old French term is a compound of par- (a variant of Latin per-, meaning "thoroughly") and fournir (meaning "to furnish or complete"). The Latin root forma originally denoted a physical mold or shape. The semantic journey from "to furnish or complete thoroughly" to its modern sense illustrates a shift from a general notion of carrying something through to completion, to the specialized act of presenting a shaped or formed piece of work—be it a task, a duty, or an artistic piece—before an audience. The addition of the '-ing' suffix creates the present participle, which functions as an adjective or a gerund noun describing the ongoing action or state related to this act.
Analysis
Structure: per (completely) + form (shape) + ing (present participle suffix)
- per: Latin origin, meaning "through, thoroughly, completely". Acts as an intensive prefix.
- form: Latin origin (from forma, meaning "shape, mold, appearance"). Acts as the core root.
- ing: Old English origin (present participle ending). Indicates an ongoing action or state.
Examples
She is a performing artist with the national ballet.
The engine's performing capabilities were tested under extreme conditions.
Performing his duties diligently earned him great respect.