noun, Botany. 1. a small outgrowth of plant tissue, usually on a leaf, caused by virus infection. Origin of enation.
â¢ Length of time spent together: dating means length of time spent together could be less as in few weeks or months. In a relationship, the length of time spent together is longer. Sometimes it can go up to a life time. Further Reading: 1  Difference Between Dating and Courtship. 2  Difference Between Dating and Going Out. 3  Difference Between Working and Personal Relationships. 4  Difference Between Open Relationship and Relationship.
This term may also refer to two or more people who have already decided they share romantic or sexual feelings toward each other. These people will have dates on a regular basis, and they may or may not be having sexual relations. This period of courtship is sometimes seen as a precursor to engagement or marriage. Some cultures require people to wait until a certain age to begin dating, which has been a source of controversy.