dropping

noun

drop·​ping ˈdrä-piŋ How to pronounce dropping (audio)
1
: something dropped
2
droppings plural : dung

Examples of dropping in a Sentence

the only bad part about owning a rabbit was cleaning the droppings out of the litter box every night the dropping of an act from the talent show should bring it in on time
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What Is Hantavirus? Humans can catch hantavirus from contact with rodents like rats and deer mice, especially when exposed to their urine, droppings, and saliva. Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 11 Mar. 2025 Betsy died from hantavirus, a flu-like virus transmitted to humans via rodent urine, saliva and droppings. Charna Flam, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025 Hantavirus can be transmitted from rodent dropping, urine and saliva. Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2025 After several more deaths and illnesses, a team of researchers from the CDC among other institutions was able to identify it as a new hantavirus strain and trace it to droppings from rodents. Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dropping

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dropping was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dropping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dropping. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dropping

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!