different between lofty vs leading

English

Etymology

From Middle English lofty, lofti, lofte (“of high rank; noble; ornate”), equivalent to loft +? -y; see loft (“sky, firmament; upper room”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: l?ft?i, IPA^(key): /?l?fti/
• (General American) enPR: lôft?i, IPA^(key): /?l??fti/
• (cot–caught merger, Canada) enPR: l?ft?i, IPA^(key): /?l?fti/
• Rhymes: -?fti, -??fti

Adjective

lofty (comparative loftier, superlative loftiest)

1. high, tall, having great height or stature
   • 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 551:

     When the night was half spent, I rose and walked on, till the day broke in all its beauty and the sun rose over the heads of the lofty hills and athwart the low gravelly plains.

2. idealistic, implying over-optimism

   a lofty goal

   • 2013, Delme Parfitt in Wales Online, Cardiff City 1 - 0 Swansea City: Steven Caulker heads Bluebirds to South Wales derby win (3 November 2013)

     A goal from Steven Caulker, just after the hour mark, was enough to hand victory to Malky Mackay's men, with Swansea falling some way short of the lofty standards they have set previously at this level.

3. extremely proud; arrogant; haughty
   • F. Harrison

     that lofty pity with which prosperous folk are apt to remember their grandfathers

Synonyms

• (having great height or stature): noble, honorable

Antonyms

• (having great height or stature): mean, ignoble
• (idealistic): familiar, vulgar

Related terms

• loft
• aloft

Translations

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English ledinge, ledynge, ledand, ledande, ledende, from Old English l?dende, from Proto-Germanic *laidijandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *laidijan? (“to lead”), equivalent to lead +? -ing. Cognate with German Leitung (“lin, conduit, cable”). More at lead.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?li?d??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?lid??/
• Rhymes: -i?d??
• Hyphenation: lead?ing

Verb

leading

1. present participle of lead

Adjective

leading (not comparable)

1. Providing guidance or direction.

2. Ranking first.

3. Occurring in advance; preceding.

   Antonyms: following, lagging, trailing

Coordinate terms

• (occurring in advance): concurrent, lagging

Hyponyms

• industry-leading

Derived terms

• leading indicator

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English leding, ledyng, ledinge, ledunge, equivalent to lead +? -ing.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?li?d??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?lid??/
• Rhymes: -i?d??
• Hyphenation: lead?ing

Noun

leading (plural leadings)

1. An act by which one is led or guided.

Etymology 3

From Middle English leedynge, equivalent to lead (chemical element) +? -ing.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /?l?d??/
• Rhymes: -?d??
• Hyphenation: lead?ing

Noun

leading (uncountable)

1. (typography) Vertical space added between lines; line spacing.

Translations

Further reading

• leading on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Negidal, adeling, aligned, dealign, dealing, diangle, lagenid, leidang