sending
UK[ˈsɛndɪŋ]US[ˈsɛndɪŋ]
n
The act of causing something to go or be taken to a place, especially through the mail or by electronic means.
n
A batch of items dispatched at one time.
Morpheme Breakdown
send
ing
send
to cause to go
ing
verbal noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'sending' is built upon the ancient Germanic verb sendan, which carried the core sense of dispatching or causing to go. This root is traceable to the Proto-Indo-European base sent-, meaning "to head for, go," which also led to words like 'send' and related concepts of journeying. The addition of the Old English nominal suffix -ing transformed the action into a concrete noun denoting the process or an instance of that action. Thus, the modern term logically encapsulates the abstract concept of the act of dispatch from its literal root meaning of causing to go.
Analysis
Structure: send (to cause to go) + ing (verbal noun suffix)
- send: From Old English sendan, meaning "to send, throw," of Germanic origin. Functions as the core verb root.
- ing: From Old English -ung, -ing, a suffix forming verbal nouns (gerunds) indicating action or process. Functions as a nominalizing suffix.
Examples
The sending of the parcel was delayed by bad weather.
We prepare a bulk sending of newsletters every month.
Instant messaging allows for the rapid sending of short texts.