# healing

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈhiːlɪŋ/ · frequency rank #4,860

## Definitions
1. The process where the cells in the body regenerate and repair themselves.
2. An act of healing, as by a faith healer.
3. The psychological process of dealing with a problem or problems.

## Etymology
From Middle English heelinge, helynge, from Old English hǣling (“healing”), from Proto-Germanic *hailingō (“healing”), from Proto-Germanic *hailijaną (“to heal”), equivalent to heal + -ing. Cognate with West Frisian hieling (“healing”), Dutch heling (“healing”), German Heilung (“healing; cure”).

## Easily confused with
- **hearing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/healing-vs-hearing)
- **helping** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/healing-vs-helping)
- **heating** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/healing-vs-heating)
- **herring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/healing-vs-herring)
- **howling** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/healing-vs-howling)
- **hurling** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/healing-vs-hurling)
- **hedging** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/healing-vs-hedging)
- **herding** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/healing-vs-herding)
- **heaving** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/healing-vs-heaving)
- **heaping** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/healing-vs-heaping)
- **hemming** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/healing-vs-hemming)
- **having** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/having-vs-healing)
- **hating** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hating-vs-healing)
- **hazing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hazing-vs-healing)
- **heading** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/heading-vs-healing)
- **hauling** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hauling-vs-healing)
- **hailing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hailing-vs-healing)
- **halting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/halting-vs-healing)
- **headline** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/headline-vs-healing)
- **headings** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/headings-vs-healing)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ehaling`, `haeling`, `heailng`, `healign`, `healingg`, `healinng`, `healling`, `healnig`, `helaing`, `hhealing`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/healing