What does hollowing mean?
Hollowing is the process of making an object or material hollow, removing its interior material, or gradually becoming empty within. It is commonly associated with excavation, woodworking, metalworking, erosion, decay, and the deterioration of trees or other natural structures. In descriptive writing, it can refer either to the act of removing material or to the resulting cavity: the hollowing of a hillside, for example, may create a tunnel or cavern. The word also has a broader figurative use for the loss of substance, significance, or support within a person, institution, or organization. As the present participle of “hollow,” it is used with a direct object, as in “hollowing out a tree trunk,” or with “out,” where that particle emphasizes the removal of interior material. Although it can be used attributively in technical writing, the ordinary noun is most natural in descriptions of physical alteration or decay.
The process by which an object or material is made hollow, hollowed out, or gradually becomes hollow.
"The slow hollowing of the cliff was caused by centuries of wind and rain."
The third-person singular form is “hollows,” and the plural is “hollowings,” although the plural is uncommon.
The present participle or gerund of “hollow,” meaning to make something hollow or remove material from its interior.
"The workers spent the morning hollowing out the old oak beam."
This is an inflected verbal form of “hollow,” rather than an independent verb.
The plural is grammatically possible but is rarely used in ordinary writing.
"The repeated hollowings of the wooden supports weakened the structure."
A hollow can be made from the outside in, but hollowing out an object often begins by removing what lies at its heart.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hollowing come from?
The word comes from “hollow,” which derives from Middle English “holwe,” meaning “hollow” or “hollowed out.” “Hollow” is related to Old English “hol,” meaning “hole” or “cavity,” which also underlies the modern word “hole.” The present participle “hollowing” and the gerund use developed within the regular inflectional system of “hollow,” preserving the underlying sense of making something empty within.
How hollowing is actually used
As a noun, “hollowing” is more common in technical, journalistic, or descriptive contexts than in everyday conversation. The verbal form can function as a gerund or present participle; “hollowing out” is especially common when describing excavation or removal of an interior.
Easily confused with hollowing
As a noun, “hollowing” names a process, whereas “hollow” can name a cavity or describe something with an empty interior.