the commercial enterprise of moving goods and materials
"The local shipping company delivered our order in record time despite the heavy rain."
conveyance provided by the ships belonging to one country or industry
"The government subsidized shipping to keep domestic grain affordable during the winter months."
The transportation of goods.
"The shipping company confirmed that our order will arrive at the warehouse by Friday morning."
In plain English: Shipping is when you really like how two people act together and hope they end up dating.
"The shipping costs for the international order were surprisingly high."
Usage: As a noun, shipping refers specifically to the commercial transport and delivery of goods rather than their general movement. Use this term when discussing logistics costs or supply chain operations instead of synonyms like freight unless referring strictly to cargo on ships.
present participle of ship
"The crew is currently shipping the heavy machinery onto the freighter for its journey across the ocean."
In plain English: To ship something means to send it off to another place for delivery.
"The fans have been shipping the two main characters together for years."
The word "shipping" comes from Middle English terms meaning "to take ship or navigate." It entered modern usage by combining the noun for a vessel with the suffix "-ing," shifting focus from the act of sailing to the commercial transport of goods.