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Added 9 October 2026

holding

/ˈhəʊldɪŋ/ noun

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about holding at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Something that one owns, especially stocks and bonds.
A determination of law made by a court.
A tenure; a farm or other estate held of another.

verb

present participle and gerund of hold
They were caught holding hands in the dark.

Origin

From hold + -ing. The sense "holding company" is from Russian холдинг (xolding), a pseudo-anglicism derived from an ellipsis of holding company.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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