Provisioning

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The activity of arranging and delivering essential supplies or services to meet operational needs
2. The process of supplying necessary support resources, materials, or services to facilitate smooth functionality
3. The act of providing essential goods or services required for a particular purpose

Etymology: "Provisioning" is the present participle and gerund of "provision," so its story is really the story of the noun. Provision came into Middle English from Old French "provisïon," which in turn descends from Latin "prōvīsiō," meaning "preparation" or "foresight." That Latin noun grew from "prōvidēre," to see ahead, which is also the source of "provide." The root idea is literal foresight: to provide was to see what would be needed and get it ready in advance. That sense of looking ahead survives in the word's core. Provisioning means arranging beforehand the food, supplies, or services something will require, whether for an army, a ship, or a household. The Latin "videre" ("to see") at the heart of "prōvidēre" explains why the word carries a built-in idea of anticipation: what is provided has been seen coming.

Synonyms: supplies, furnishing, stocking, preparing, arranging