floating
/ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.18 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Present in the underlying phonological representation but not linked to an anchor on which it can surface.
noun
The spreading of plaster on the surface of walls.
noun
A veterinary dental procedure involving the filing down of sharp surfaces on a horse's teeth.
Example Sentences
- "floating buoys"
- "The outcome of the forthcoming election is still unclear due to the large number of floating voters."
- "In China, the large floating population has tended to gravitate to cities."
- "You can drag the floating toolbars to any position on the screen."
- ""And I am much mistaken if she has not some floating fancy of her own.""
- "Historically, there was an accompanying vowel, but synchronically, a mere "floating" high tone is posited. In stage (b) this high tone causes the preceding low tone to raise to a raised-low tone via the process of low-raising. Finally, in stage (c) the floating high tone is lost."
Etymology
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
- British English: /ˈfləʊtɪŋ/