/en"ding/ , n.
1. a bringing or coming to an end; termination; close: Putting away the Christmas ornaments marked the ending of the season.
2. the final or concluding part; conclusion: a story with a happy ending.
3. death; destruction.
4. Gram. a morpheme, esp. an inflection, at the end of a word, as -s in cuts.
5. (not in technical use) any final word part, as the -ow of widow.
[ bef. 1000; ME endyng, OE endung. See END 1 , -ING 1 ]