gardening

noun

gar·​den·​ing ˈgär-də-niŋ How to pronounce gardening (audio)
ˈgärd-niŋ
: the act, activity, or pastime of planning and cultivating gardens
… America's number-one leisure pursuit remains the gentle, slow-going, idyllic activity of gardening.Margaret Langstaff
… there is no shortage this spring of slick and glossy books on gardening that are long on toothsome photography and short of thoughtful text …Allen Lacy
Halide lamps are the most popular source of white light available for indoor gardening, providing the best light spectrum for all stages of plant growth.Laura L. Kramer
often used before another noun
gardening glovesgardening tools

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Grow sustainably and teach about gardening and composting. Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, 30 May 2023 Hobbits are usually found feasting, drinking, gardening and destroying rings in Tolkien's fictional Middle-Earth. Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 25 May 2023 University of Maryland Extension’s Home and Garden Information Center offers free gardening and pest information at extension.umd.edu/hgic. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 25 May 2023 The Fermanagh’s Young Farmers Society also spoke to the royals and likely found easy rapport, as the couple is known to share a love of gardening and country life. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 25 May 2023 The absurdity of all this cloak-and-dagger gardening might not be immediately obvious. Caty Enders, BostonGlobe.com, 4 May 2023 Guadeloupe Rojas advises having a specific place for car gear, gardening items, beach chairs and winter items, such as salt to melt ice. Kathryn O'shea-evans, Anchorage Daily News, 3 May 2023 After a busy morning gardening, sit back on the bench and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and admire your handiwork from the comfort of the seat. Gabriela Izquierdo, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Apr. 2023 Sun hats and gardening bags for the glorious sunny days ahead will never be far from reach. Anna Logan, Country Living, 7 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gardening.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gardening was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near gardening

Cite this Entry

“Gardening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gardening. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.

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