What does concreting mean?
Concreting is the process of preparing, pouring, spreading, and finishing concrete — the ubiquitous building material made from cement, water, sand, and aggregate that hardens into a stone-like mass. In construction, concreting covers everything from mixing and transporting fresh concrete to placing it in formwork, compacting it to remove air pockets, and curing it so it gains strength over days and weeks. The word functions as both a gerund (the activity itself) and a present participle (describing ongoing action), as in 'they are concreting the patio today'. Because concrete is the most widely used man-made material on Earth by volume, concreting is central to modern infrastructure — roads, bridges, dams, foundations, and high-rises all depend on it. Figuratively, the word occasionally appears meaning 'to make something definite or tangible', though this sense is uncommon. For anyone writing about construction, engineering, or urban development, 'concreting' offers a precise, professional way to describe this essential industrial process.
The activity or process of laying and finishing concrete in construction work.
"All concreting must be completed before the frost sets in."
Most common in technical specifications, site reports, and construction contracts.
Present participle of the verb 'to concrete'; describes the ongoing act of applying or forming concrete.
"They are concreting the footpath this week."
Rarely used; the plural appears mainly when referring to multiple distinct concreting operations or jobs.
"The contractor recorded several separate concretings across the site that month."
'Concreting' turns a Latin verb meaning 'to grow together' into one of humanity's most literal acts: making cities solid.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of concreting
The verb 'concrete' derives from the Latin 'concrescere', meaning 'to grow together' or 'thicken', formed from the prefix 'com-' ('together') plus 'crescere' ('to grow'). English adopted 'concrete' as an adjective in the late Middle Ages, describing things physically united or solidified, before the noun for the building material emerged in later centuries. From the noun came the verb 'to concrete', meaning to cover or form with concrete, whose present participle gives us 'concreting'. Cognates sharing the same Latin root include 'concretion', 'accrue', and 'increase' — all ultimately tracing back to 'crescere'.
Related word forms
How concreting is actually used
Primarily a technical term used in construction and civil engineering contexts. As a figurative sense ('to make concrete/tangible'), it is rare and mostly informal; most writers would simply say 'making something concrete' rather than 'concreting' it.
Easily confused with concreting
Cementing refers to applying or working with cement (the binding powder), whereas concreting involves concrete — the composite mixture of cement with sand, gravel and water.