teaching

1 of 2

noun

teach·​ing ˈtē-chiŋ 

1

: the act, practice, or profession of a teacher

2

: something taught

especially : doctrine

the teachings of Confucius

teaching

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, used for, or engaged in teaching

a teaching aid

the teaching profession

a teaching assistant

Synonyms

Noun

• education
• schooling
• instruction

Examples of teaching in a Sentence

Noun

He went into teaching after college.

a chemist who has devoted his career to teaching, even though he could have made a lot more money in an industrial job

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Laurie Maddalena didn't begin her career teaching leadership. —Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025

Instead of allowing a disability exception, colleges with tech bans should provide peer tutors, teaching assistants, and writing centers to help students who require extra assistance—low-tech strategies that decades of pedagogical research show to be effective in making education more accessible. —Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 11 Sep. 2025

Adjective

The Municipal Employees’ Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago (MEABF) pension fund, created in 1921, covers both city workers and CPS non-teaching staff. —Joe Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025

Those programs support services for students with disabilities, smaller class sizes with additional teaching positions, and pay for social workers and other non-teaching roles in schools. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1615, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing teaching

• practice teaching
• student teaching
• teaching assistant
• teaching hospital

Rhymes for teaching

• bleaching
• breaching
• breeching
• leaching
• preaching
• reaching
• screeching
• beseeching
• impeaching
• overreaching

Kids Definition

teaching

noun

teach·​ing

1

: the act, practice, or profession of a teacher

2

: something taught

especially : doctrine