wanting

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English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Middle English wantyng, wantynge, wantand, equivalent to want +‎ -ing.

Adjective

wanting (comparative more wanting, superlative most wanting)

  1. That wants or desires.
  2. Absent or lacking.
    • 1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Modern Library Edition, published 1995, page 171:
      […] but where other powers of entertainment are wanting, the true philosopher will derive benefit from such as are given.
    • 1902, Proceedings: Entomological papers, volumes 25-26, United States National Museum, page 201:
      Discal black dot small or wanting. Transverse posterior line reduced to two dotlets or altogether wanting.
  3. Deficient.
    • 1993, Dana Stabenow, Dead in the Water, →ISBN, page 151:
      Kate felt privileged to have been permitted to speak through it and she was glad that, as before, she had been judged and not found wanting
Derived terms
Translations

Preposition

wanting

  1. Without, except, but.
  2. Less, short of, minus.

Verb

wanting

  1. present participle and gerund of want

Etymology 2

From Middle English wantyng, wantynge, equivalent to want +‎ -ing.

Noun

wanting (countable and uncountable, plural wantings)

  1. The state of wanting something; desire.
    • 2004, Joseph H. Casey S.J., Life, Love, and Sex:
      Choice occurs only when we experience a conflict of wantings.
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