dusting

noun

dust·​ing ˈdə-stiŋ 

plural dustings

1

: the act of making something clean by brushing or wiping away dirt and dust from the surface

The furniture needs a good dusting.

2

a

: a small amount of something that falls or is sprinkled over a surface

During summer, the cracked floor looks prehistoric under the desert sun; during winter, it's intermittently covered by sheets of ice and dustings of snow.

—Joseph Stromberg

Add pearl onions, mushrooms, and a dusting of marjoram.

—Hali Ramdene

b

: a faint or slight quality or amount

… sporting a dusting of stubble, DiSpirito runs Union Pacific, a paragon of gilded, inventive Manhattan dining.

—James Poniewozik

Examples of dusting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Invert it onto a platter and garnish with an extra dusting of Parmesan and fresh basil. —Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 15 May 2024

And then, Frey said, overnight Tuesday until about 8 a.m. Wednesday there could be more rain and more persistent wind gusts, with temperatures plummeting, down into the 30s and 20s, which could lead to a dusting of snow. —Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 26 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1