sitting

sitting — noun

1. one of several scheduled times at which a hotel, restaurant, or ship serves a me

1.nounB1
Definition

one of several scheduled times at which a hotel, restaurant, or ship serves a meal to a group of guests, usually because the dining space cannot hold everyone at once.

Example

The hotel serves dinner in two sittings, one at six and one at eight.

countable: two sittings for dinner

Ayesha booked the first sitting so the children could eat early.

Common collocations
  • first sitting
  • second sitting
  • early sitting
  • late sitting
  • dinner sitting
  • lunch sitting
Synonyms
  • service

    focuses on the act of being served rather than the group of diners

Grammar Patterns

sitting + noun (first sitting, second sitting)

Usage Note

Commonly used with 'first', 'second', 'early', or 'late' to indicate which of multiple meal times a person attends.

Common Mistakes

The sitting of the committee was long.' (when meaning a meeting).
The first sitting for dinner begins at six.
For the meal sense, 'sitting' refers to a meal service time, not a formal meeting.

2. the time during which a person keeps a particular pose so that an artist can pai

2.nounB1
Definition

the time during which a person keeps a particular pose so that an artist can paint them or a photographer can capture their image.

Example

The portrait required three long sittings before the painter was satisfied.

countable: three sittings for a portrait

Nadia agreed to do a sitting for the university's graduation photo project.

Common collocations
  • pose for a sitting
  • do a sitting
  • give a sitting
  • portrait sitting
  • photo sitting
Synonyms
  • session

    broader term that can apply to any activity, not just art or photography

Grammar Patterns

have/do a sitting

give someone a sitting

Usage Note

Often used with 'give', 'do', or 'have' (e.g. 'give someone a sitting'). The word implies a formal arrangement, not a casual photo.

Common Mistakes

We had a sitting for lunch at the hotel.
We had a sitting for the family portrait at the studio.
This sense is about being painted or photographed, not about meals.

3. an official meeting of a court, parliament, council, or committee during which m

3.nounB2
Definition

an official meeting of a court, parliament, council, or committee during which members discuss, debate, and vote on matters.

Example

The judge adjourned the sitting until the following Monday.

collocation: adjourn a sitting

Ramón attended the city council's morning sitting to argue against the new zoning law.

Common collocations
  • parliamentary sitting
  • court sitting
  • adjourn a sitting
  • open a sitting
  • morning sitting
  • afternoon sitting
Synonyms
  • session

    more general term; 'sitting' is slightly more formal and specific to courts and parliaments

  • hearing

    refers to a court session where evidence is presented, a narrower type of sitting

Grammar Patterns

in sitting

during the sitting

Usage Note

Frequently used with formal verbs such as 'adjourn', 'convene', 'open', and 'suspend'. Common in news reports about government or legal proceedings.

Common Mistakes

We had a sitting of coffee this morning.
The court will hold a sitting next Tuesday.
This sense only applies to formal meetings, not casual gatherings.

4. a continuous stretch during which someone stays seated while focusing on a task

4.nounB2
Definition

a continuous stretch during which someone stays seated while focusing on a task such as reading, studying, watching, or working.

Example

Greta read the whole novel in one sitting because she could not put it down.

collocation: in one sitting

Doctors recommend standing up and stretching after a long sitting at a computer.

Common collocations
  • in one sitting
  • in a single sitting
  • long sitting
  • after hours of sitting
Synonyms
  • stretch

    emphasizes the duration rather than the seated posture, e.g., 'a long stretch of work'

  • spell

    informal, similar meaning but without the seated connotation

Grammar Patterns

in one sitting

at a single sitting

Usage Note

Almost always appears in phrases like 'in one sitting', 'at a single sitting', or 'after hours of sitting'. Unlike sense 3, this is used in everyday contexts, not formal ones.

Common Mistakes

The sitting of parliament was long.
I watched all six episodes in one sitting.
For the 'seated spell' sense, 'sitting' describes a personal activity session, not an official meeting.
Idioms

at a sitting

idiom

during one continuous period without getting up or stopping.

Bilal ate five large slices of pizza at a single sitting.

Javier solved the entire crossword puzzle at one sitting.

sitting — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/3

These four words all describe events where people gather for discussion or decision-making, but they differ in formality and context. A 'sitting' (noun/3) is the most formal and specific: it refers to the official meeting period of a court, parliament, or council — e.g., 'the morning sitting of the House of Commons.' A 'session' is broader: it can apply to any organised block of time for an activity, from a therapy session to a parliamentary session. A 'hearing' is a type of court or committee sitting where evidence is presented and witnesses give testimony; it is narrower in purpose. A 'meeting' is the most general term and can be used for any gathering, formal or informal. Example: 'The committee's morning sitting ran late, so the afternoon session was cancelled.' 'The judge scheduled a hearing for the following week.' 'We have a staff meeting at three.'

sitting ↗session ↗hearing ↗meeting ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'sitting' comes from Old English 'sittan' (to sit), which traces back to the Proto-Germanic 'sitjaną' and further to the Proto-Indo-European root 'sed-', meaning 'to sit'. The noun form 'sitting' developed in Middle English to describe the act of sitting, and by the 13th century it had extended to meetings of official bodies, since members sat together during those gatherings. The sense of a meal service time emerged from the practice of seating groups of diners in separate rounds. The adjective use meaning 'currently in office' dates from the 17th century, drawing on the idea of occupying a seat of authority.