Bridgings

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbɹɪd͡ʒɪŋz/

Definitions

1. The act of connecting two points, often used metaphorically to denote creating links between ideas or concepts
2. The construction or design of structures that allow passage over obstacles, such as water or roads
3. The process of forming relationships or collaborations that enable communication or understanding between disparate groups

Etymology: "Bridgings" is the plural of "bridging", the form of the verb "bridge" used for the act of spanning or linking. The noun "bridge" goes back to Old English "brycg", which ultimately comes from a Germanic root shared with words for a planked crossing, so the basic idea is a structure laid across a gap. The verb sense of crossing or connecting developed from that physical image, and "bridging" carries it into the abstract idea of linking separate groups, people or ideas that would otherwise stay apart.

Synonyms: connections, links, spans, crossings, overpasses

Antonyms: gaps, breaks, disconnects, separations, divides