What does "ending" mean?

1. (conclusion of a story) the final part of a book, movie, or event. 2. (grammar suffix) the letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning or grammar.

How do you use "ending"?

Commonly used when discussing verb conjugations or plural forms.

ending

US //ˈɛndɪŋ// UK //ˈɛndɪŋ// end·ing

1 conclusion of a story (n.)
A2 Elementary

the final part of a book, movie, or event.

the terminal part or conclusion of a narrative, performance, or sequence of events.

Example

I didn't like the ending of the movie because it was too sad.

Example

The novel's ambiguous ending left readers debating the protagonist's ultimate fate for years after its publication.
2 grammar suffix (n.)
B1 Intermediate Technical Science

the letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning or grammar.

an inflectional or derivational morpheme added to the end of a word base.

Example

In English, the '-ed' ending usually shows that an action happened in the past.

Example

Learners often struggle with the irregular plural endings of Latin-derived nouns in academic English.

Usage

Commonly used when discussing verb conjugations or plural forms.
- suffix
- inflection
- prefix

Etymology 1

From Middle English endyng, endinge, endunge, from Old English endung, ġeendung (“ending”), equivalent to end + -ing. Cognate with Dutch ending (“ending”), German Endung (“ending”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English ending, endyng, endende, from Old English endiende, from Proto-Germanic andijōndz, present participle of Proto-Germanic andijōną (“to end”), equivalent to end + -ing.