spreading

Etymology

verb

1. present participle and gerund of spread
   And so, unfortunately, this great and spreading network of railways, that recently showed such promise as a major instrument in the modern development of China, must be left for the time being in the melting-pot of Armageddon. 1941 October, F. S. Bond, “The Railways of China”, in Railway Magazine, page 440
   As towns continue to grow, replanting vegetation has become a form of urban utopia and green roofs are spreading fast. Last year 1m square metres of plant-covered roofing was built in France, as much as in the US, and 10 times more than in Germany, the pioneer in this field. 2013-05-10, Audrey Garric, “Urban canopies let nature bloom”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 22, page 30

noun

1. The act by which something is spread.
   Small numbers [of meadowlarks] remain on farms in the southern counties throughout the winter, usually relying on fresh manure spreadings for food when snow covers the fields. 1991, Samuel D. Robbins, Wisconsin Birdlife: Population & Distribution Past & Present, page 579