A strong urge to become religious.
"After months of wandering through life, he finally listened to his calling and decided to join a monastery."
In plain English: A calling is something you feel deeply drawn to do because it feels right for your life.
"His calling is to help people in need."
Usage: The everyday noun "calling" refers to a person's vocation or career path that they feel divinely appointed to pursue, rather than merely a job for financial gain. It implies a deep, personal sense of purpose and duty toward one's work.
present participle of call
"The ringing sound kept coming through the house, and I finally answered to find out who was calling."
In plain English: To call is to shout someone's name so they can hear you and come over.
"She is just calling her mom to wish her a happy birthday."
Usage: Use "calling" to describe the ongoing action of shouting someone's name or making a phone contact that is currently in progress. Avoid using it as a noun to refer to a profession unless you are specifically describing the act of being called to a career path.
The word calling comes from the Middle English forms callyng and kalland, which were derived from the Old English verb meaning "to summon." It entered modern usage as a gerund formed by adding the suffix -ing to the base word call.