Standard Lemma guide

borrowing

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈbɔrəwɪŋ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: B AA1 R OW0 IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An instance of something being borrowed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • January 1834, Horace Binney, Speech on the Question of the Removal of the Deposites Subscriptions, borrowings of money, taxings of the citizens and their property, may all be valid, as operations by virtue of laws for the government of the City [...]

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A borrowed word, adopted from a foreign language; loanword.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

present participle and gerund of borrow

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

Examples

  • She is borrowing my pen.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

Shoplifting.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: euphemistic, slang

Qualifier: crime

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

the appropriation (of ideas or words etc) from another source

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the borrowing of ancient motifs was very apparent

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: adoption

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: appropriation

Narrower terms: naturalization, naturalisation, misappropriation, crossover

6

noun

Meaning 6

obtaining funds from a lender

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: transaction, dealing, dealings

Narrower terms: pawn

History

Etymology

From borrow + -ing.