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Glite Dictionary
🥣 Ingredients 🌱 Potential
makings

makings

5.9
The qualities a person has that show they could become successful
  • noun
  • /ˈmeɪkɪŋz/
translation icon : potencial
  • With his natural talent and hard work, he has all the makings of a great artist.

Yeah, does sound like the makings of a good boxing rematch, though.

Examples

  • Her leadership skills and determination are the makings of a successful entrepreneur.

  • The team's camaraderie and skills are the makings of a championship-winning squad.

  • Amber lights are actually the makings of a relationship.

  • Yeah, does sound like the makings of a good boxing rematch, though.

    Rob Moore

Synonyms

make-up
vsmakings
4 4.2

The parts that form a person, group or thing

focuses on qualities that enable future success or likely achievement

Antonyms

limitation
167 3.3

A condition that stops a person or thing from doing more

inadequacy
30 5.8

A lack of enough skill, quality, or amount to meet a need

Surface Forms

making singular
makings plural

Morphology

makings = making (semi-transparent) = make + ing + s

The plural derives from 'making', but the idiomatic sense 'qualities or potential' is metaphorical and not fully predictable from the base.

Etymology

Makings also comes from the verb make ('to form') and the ending -ing, and it came to mean the qualities that 'form' a person, so the makings of a champion are the skills and character that can make them successful.