ENGLISH
REFERENCE

belonging

n. · v.
US //bɪˈɫɔŋɪŋ// UK //bɪlˈɒŋɪŋ// be·long·ing
  1. 1 feeling of acceptance (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the comfortable feeling that you are part of a group and that people accept you.

    a sense of social or emotional affinity with a particular group, place, or community. Uncountable in this sense.

    Example

    After a few months in the new city, she finally felt a sense of belonging.

    Example

    The school's mentorship programme is designed to foster a sense of belonging among international students who might otherwise feel isolated.
  2. 2 personal items (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the things that you own and can carry with you, like clothes or bags.

    personal items or possessions that one owns. Almost exclusively used in the plural form.

    Example

    Please make sure you take all your belongings with you when you leave the train.

    Example

    The refugees were forced to flee their homes with only the few personal belongings they could carry in their arms.
    Pitfall
    I packed all my belonging into the suitcase.
    I packed all my belongings into the suitcase.

    When referring to your things, this word must be plural: 'belongings'.

Show 1 more senseShow fewer
  1. 3 fitting in or being owned (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the -ing form of the verb 'belong', used to describe where someone or something should be.

    the present participle or gerund of 'belong', indicating a state of being correctly placed, classified, or owned.

    Example

    He found a stray cat belonging to the family next door.

    Example

    The curator spent years researching the provenance of the painting, eventually proving it was a work belonging to the Dutch Golden Age.
Etymology 1

From belong + -ing.

Etymology 2

From Middle English belonginge, belanging, belangand, equivalent to belong + -ing.

© 2026 English Reference