What does practising mean?
Practising means engaging in repeated exercise, rehearsal, or application so that a skill, method, or professional routine can be developed or maintained. A musician may practise a difficult passage, a student may practise an exam technique, and a hospital may practise a new clinical procedure. The word can also mean carrying out a profession: a physician might be described as practising medicine. In contemporary British English, the verb is normally written “practise,” making “practising” its present participle and gerund form; the noun remains “practice.” American English normally spells the verb “practicing” and uses “practice” for both noun and verb. Although the word can sometimes suggest deliberate repetition rather than fluent performance, it does not necessarily imply inexperience. It is broadly neutral in register and commonly describes rehearsal, professional activity, or the practical application of an approach.
verbEngaged in repeated exercise, rehearsal, or application in order to develop a skill, follow a method, or carry out a profession. It is the present participle and gerund form of the British English verb “practise.”
- Engaged in repeated exercise or rehearsal to develop or maintain a skill.
- Applying a method, principle, or procedure in practice.
- Carrying out or working in a particular profession.
"She spent the morning practising the violin before the recital."
"He practised the passage until he could perform it without hesitation."
"The laboratory is practising a new method of water purification."
English spelling is not always regular: British writers keep the “s” in practising but use “c” in the closely related noun practice.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does practising come from?
The word ultimately comes through Old French from Latin practicare, a verb meaning “to do, perform, or practise,” derived from Greek praktikos, meaning “concerned with action.” The English noun “practice” and verb “practise” developed from this common source, with their modern spelling conventions differing between British and American English. Related English words including “practical,” “practicable,” “practitioner,” and “pragmatic” also reflect the same Greek and Latin roots.
Related word forms
How practising is actually used
The form is primarily used in British English. British usage normally distinguishes the verb “practise” from the noun “practice,” whereas American usage uses “practice” for both parts of speech.
Easily confused with practising
“Practising” is the standard British spelling of the verb, while “practicing” is the standard American spelling.
In British English, “practice” is generally the noun and “practise” is the verb; American English uses “practice” for both.