ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sewing

n.
US //ˈsoʊɪŋ// UK //sˈəʊɪŋ// sewing
  1. 1 the activity (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    the work or hobby of making and fixing things with a needle and thread.

    the activity or occupation of a person who sews, whether as a manual skill or a domestic task.

    Example

    My grandmother taught me sewing when I was a young child.

    Example

    She dedicated her Saturday afternoons to sewing, finding the repetitive motion of the needle both productive and therapeutic.

    Usage

    Often used as an uncountable noun to describe the general craft or hobby.
  2. 2 items being worked on (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the clothes or fabric that you are currently working on.

    articles or materials that are in the process of being sewn or have been sewn.

    Example

    She left her sewing on the chair while she went to answer the door.

    Example

    The tailor gathered his sewing and placed it neatly in the basket before closing the shop for the evening.
Etymology 1

From sew + -ing.

Etymology 2

From Middle English sewinge, seuinge, seuwinge (“sewing”), equivalent to sew + -ing.

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

Last updated June 20, 2026