wearing I. noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English wering, from gerund of weren to wear obsolete: clothes, garments < give me my nightly wearing, and adieu — Shakespeare > II. adjective Etymology: Middle English wering, from gerund of weren to wear : intended for wearing on the person < wearing apparel > III. adjective Etymology: from present participle of wear (I) 1.: causing or inflicting wear : fatiguing, exhausting < wearing journey > 2.: subjected to wear < wearing surface of a tooth >