Etymology

From know +‎ -ingCategory:English terms suffixed with -ing#KNOWING.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈnəʊɪŋ/Category:English 2-syllable words#KNOWINGCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#KNOWING
  • (Northumbria) IPA^(key): /naːɪn/Category:English 2-syllable words#KNOWINGCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#KNOWING
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈnoʊɪŋ/Category:English 2-syllable words#KNOWINGCategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#KNOWING

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

    Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#KNOWING
• Rhymes: -əʊɪŋCategory:Rhymes:English/əʊɪŋ#KNOWINGCategory:Rhymes:English/əʊɪŋ/2 syllables#KNOWING

Adjective

knowing (comparative more knowing, superlative most knowing)Category:English lemmas#KNOWINGCategory:English adjectives#KNOWINGCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#KNOWINGCategory:Pages with entries#KNOWINGCategory:Pages with 1 entry#KNOWING

1. Possessing knowledge or understanding; knowledgeable, intelligent. [from 14th c.]
   • 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:

     The knowing and intelligent part of the world.

     Category:English terms with quotations#KNOWING

2. Deliberate, wilful. [from 16th c.]
3. Shrewd or showing clever awareness; discerning. [from 17th c.]

   a knowing rascalCategory:English terms with usage examples#KNOWING

4. (archaicCategory:English terms with archaic senses#KNOWING) Demonstrating knowledge of what is in fashion; stylish, chic. [from 18th c.]
   • 1792, Charlotte Smith, Desmond, Broadview, published 2001, page 173:

     ‘I was a raw boy from College, and fancied it very knowing to marry a girl that all the young fellows of my acquaintance reckoned so confounded handsome.’

     Category:English terms with quotations#KNOWING

   • 1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's School Days:

     Tom thought his cap a very knowing affair, but confessed that he had a hat in his hat-box; which was accordingly at once extracted from the hind-boot, and Tom equipped in his go-to-meeting roof, as his new friend called it.

     Category:English terms with quotations#KNOWING

     Category:Quotation templates to be cleaned
5. Suggestive of private knowledge or understanding. [from 19th c.]
   • 2017 July 30, Ali Barthwell, “Ice and fire finally meet in a front-loaded episode of Game Of Thrones (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club‎:

     Jon and Tyrion greet each other with the words that have been used against them as weapons, sharing a knowing smile.

     Category:English terms with quotations#KNOWING

   • 2025 November 25, Caroline Siede, “Zootopia 2 is a stagnant sequel with one stellar subplot”, in AV Club‎:

     As family entertainment, it’s all perfectly fine. There are plenty of callbacks to the original to delight young fans (including a catchy new song from Shakira’s Gazelle) and plenty of knowing jokes for the adults in the audience.

     Category:English terms with quotations#KNOWING

Preposition

knowingCategory:English lemmas#KNOWINGCategory:English prepositions#KNOWINGCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#KNOWINGCategory:Pages with entries#KNOWINGCategory:Pages with 1 entry#KNOWING

1. Given my knowledge about someone or something.

   Knowing you, you would try not to be late for school.Category:English terms with usage examples#KNOWING

Verb

knowingCategory:English non-lemma forms#KNOWINGCategory:English verb forms#KNOWINGCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#KNOWINGCategory:Pages with entries#KNOWINGCategory:Pages with 1 entry#KNOWING

1. present participle and gerund of know

Noun

knowing (plural knowings)Category:English lemmas#KNOWINGCategory:English nouns#KNOWINGCategory:English countable nouns#KNOWINGCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#KNOWINGCategory:Pages with entries#KNOWINGCategory:Pages with 1 entry#KNOWING

1. The act or condition of having knowledge.
   • 2009, Gilbert Ryle, The Concept of Mind (60th Anniversary Edition, 1949, page 194)

     Sensations then, are not perceivings, observings or findings; they are not detectings, scannings or inspectings; they are not apprehendings, cognisings, intuitings or knowings.

Derived terms