Pending
/ˈpɛn.dɪŋ/noun
Awaiting decision, settlement, or completion.
Did you know?Pending comes from Latin *pendere*, “to hang,” the same root that gave English words like *depend* and *suspend*—so the word literally carries the feeling of being suspended in midair.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pen-
“to hang, stretch, or weigh”
Latin
Latin
pendere
“to hang; to weigh”
Late Latin / Medieval Latin
Latin
pendens
“hanging; remaining undecided”
Middle English
English
pending
“hanging; awaiting settlement or outcome”
Modern English
English
pending
“awaiting decision, completion, or resolution”