English Reference
adjective · noun

folding

adj. · n.
US /ˈfoʊɫdɪŋ/ UK /fˈəʊldɪŋ/ fold·ing

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    adj.designed to be folded so that it takes up less space.

    adj.describing an object engineered with hinges or joints to be collapsed into a more compact form.

    Simple

    We took a folding chair to the park so we could sit comfortably during the concert.

    In context

    The apartment was so small that he had to rely on a folding desk that could be tucked away when not in use.

    collapsibleportable
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.the action of bending something over on itself.

    n.the process or act of doubling something over or creating a crease.

    Simple

    The folding of the laundry took much longer than the washing.

    In context

    Precise folding of the map is required if you want it to fit back into its protective plastic sleeve.

    creasingbending
  3. 03 C1 Advanced InformalSlang

    n.a casual way to talk about paper money instead of coins.

    n.a slang term for banknotes, referring to the fact that they can be folded, unlike metallic currency.

    Simple

    He didn't have any coins for the machine, only some folding in his wallet.

    In context

    The vendor preferred a bit of the folding to credit cards, offering a small discount for cash payments.

  4. 04 C1 Advanced Technical Science

    n.the way the earth's surface bends and moves over a long time.

    n.the permanent deformation of rock layers into curves or bends due to tectonic pressure.

    Simple

    The mountain range was formed by the folding of the earth's crust millions of years ago.

    In context

    Geologists studied the intense folding in the cliff face to determine the direction of the ancient tectonic forces.

  5. 05 C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    n.hiding parts of a computer program's code to make it easier to read.

    n.a feature in text editors that allows the user to hide or collapse sections of source code.

    Simple

    I use code folding to hide the long functions I am not working on.

    In context

    By utilizing code folding, the developer managed to navigate the massive script without being overwhelmed by thousands of lines of boilerplate.

This is a wing of a folding multi-panelled painting on wood: the woman it shows is not known by name but she was one half of a well-off couple who probably lived in Bruges.

The Guardian· 11 Sept 2026

The researchers therefore set out to determine whether the physical folding of DNA influences how heart cells behave, and whether TBX5 helps control that process.

ScienceDaily· 13 Aug 2026

By surface analysis, fold + -ing.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated