ENGLISH
REFERENCE

costing

n.
US //ˈkɔstɪŋ// UK //kˈɒstɪŋ// cost·ing
  1. 1 calculating expenses (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    the act of calculating how much a business project or product will cost to make or do.

    the systematic estimation of the total cost of a process, project, or product. Often used in the plural in business contexts.

    Example

    The manager asked for a full costing of the new marketing plan before approving it.

    Example

    The finance department provided detailed costings for the infrastructure project, accounting for both material inflation and potential labour shortages.

    Usage

    Often used as a countable noun in British English ('the costings'), but frequently uncountable in American English.

Last updated June 20, 2026