What does toping mean?
Toping is a relatively uncommon noun with established arboricultural and nautical senses. In its tree-related sense, it means the cutting off or cutting back of a tree's upper branches, although the upper part or crown of a tree may also be called its toping. The more distinctive meaning is maritime: toping refers to the operation of raising and securing the top or topmast of a ship, and sometimes to that upper structure itself. The word is chiefly encountered in technical descriptions, historical writing, or descriptions of traditional sailing practice. Although it looks like the gerund of top and resembles the more familiar topping, toping is used as a noun. Its unusual spelling and specialized nautical history make it especially useful for readers interested in sailing vocabulary, maritime history, or the precise terminology of tree care.
nounThe act of cutting off or cutting back the upper part of a tree, or the upper part itself. In nautical use, it refers to raising and securing a mast's top or topmast and sometimes to that upper structure.
- The operation of cutting off or cutting back the upper branches of a tree.
- The uppermost part or crown of a tree.
- In nautical use, the operation of raising and securing a mast's top or topmast; also, the upper structure itself.
"The toping of the old oak left a broad, blunt crown."
"The toping of the old oak left a broad, blunt crown."
"In the captain's account, the toping of the mainmast was delayed by a stiff wind."
The plural is grammatical but uncommon, even in technical writing.
"The old survey recorded the topings of several isolated trees."
At sea, a sailor could “top” a mast by raising and securing its upper section—the action behind the word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does toping come from?
Toping is an English derivative of top, formed with the suffix -ing and used to name an operation or an upper structure. The base top is an old English word with senses including the highest point of something and a projecting or upper part. The nautical development of toping relates to the top or upper section of a mast, while its arboricultural sense parallels the practice of cutting back a tree's upper growth.
Related word forms
How toping is actually used
Toping is less common than topping and is chiefly technical, historical, or nautical. In modern general writing, tree topping is the more usual expression for cutting back a tree's upper growth.
Easily confused with toping
Toping is the less common noun for a topping operation or a masthead top, whereas topping is the usual form for the action of putting a top on something and for the present participle of top.