What does taxying mean?
Taxying means traveling in a taxi or being taken from one place to another by taxi. It is the present-participle and gerund form of the verb “taxi,” with the final y changed to i before “-ing.” Although the spelling may initially look unusual, it follows the standard pattern seen in words such as “try” becoming “trying.” Taxying is grammatically correct and especially natural in phrases such as “taxying home” or “taxying around,” but most speakers often choose the simpler expression “taking a taxi.” An older, now dated sense of the verb means driving a taxi for hire. The word comes from “taxi,” which developed from “taxicab,” combining the term “taximeter,” for a device that calculated fares, with “cab.” Although its older occupational sense has largely faded from ordinary use, taxying remains familiar wherever taxis are a common form of transport.
To travel in or be conveyed by a taxi.
"They spent the evening taxying from one restaurant to another."
Often used with “home,” “around,” or a destination. “Taking a taxi” is more common in neutral everyday speech.
To drive a taxi for hire.
"He taxying for a living before training as a mechanic."
This occupational sense is now dated.
When a taxi adds “-ing,” its final y becomes i: taxis, taxying, and taxied.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does taxying come from?
The present form “taxying” was formed by adding the suffix “-ing” to “taxi” and changing the final y to i. “Taxi” developed through alteration of “taxicab,” a word formed from “taximeter,” the fare-calculating device, and “cab.” The same cluster of terms also gave rise to related forms such as “taximeter” and “taxicab.”
Related word forms
How taxying is actually used
The form follows the spelling change of “taxi”: taxi becomes taxying, taxis, and taxied. In modern everyday English, “taking a taxi” is generally more natural than “taxying.” The sense of driving a taxi for hire is dated compared with the older, now less common “taxi driver.”
Easily confused with taxying
Taxying means traveling by taxi, whereas taxing means imposing or assessing a tax.