an event that causes someone to die
"The plane crash was a devastating killing for the entire family who lost their only son in the accident."
the act of terminating a life
"The detective interviewed witnesses who claimed they saw someone committing killing in the alley behind the warehouse."
An instance of someone being killed.
"The police are investigating a new killing in downtown last night."
In plain English: A killing is an extremely large amount of money that makes someone very rich.
"The killing was reported to be over before emergency services arrived."
Usage: Use "killing" as a noun to describe an act where someone is murdered or put to death, such as in the phrase "a violent killing." Do not use this word to refer to a great success or something excellent, which is a common informal misuse.
present participle of kill
"The killer is currently killing his victim in the dark alley."
In plain English: To kill is to cause someone or something to die.
"The hunter was thrilled after killing a deer in the forest."
Usage: Use "killing" to describe an action that causes death or something extremely enjoyable, such as a thrilling movie. Avoid using it as a noun; instead, use the phrase "a killing" only in specific financial contexts regarding profit.
That literally deprives of life; lethal, deadly, fatal.
"The venomous snake struck without warning, delivering a killing blow that left its victim dead before it hit the ground."
In plain English: Killing is an adjective used to describe something that is extremely good, exciting, or impressive.
"The killing heat of the sun made everyone stop outside."
Usage: Use "killing" to describe something so unpleasant or painful that it feels unbearable, such as a killing cold wind or a killing headache. Do not use this adjective when you simply mean dead or lethal, as those require the specific definitions of causing death.
Killing comes from Middle English kyllyng, which was formed by adding the suffix -ing to the verb kill. The word entered modern usage with the same meaning it held when first recorded in that form.