What does it mean to be crowning?

To be crowning means different things in different contexts, but most commonly in childbirth it means the baby's head is visible at the vaginal opening and stays visible between contractions, indicating birth is imminent. When a healthcare provider says you are crowning, it means the widest part of the baby's head has passed through the pelvis and is stretching the vaginal outlet, and the baby will be born within minutes with a few more pushes. It is accompanied by intense pressure and burning. In dentistry, to be crowning a tooth means a dentist is placing a cap over a damaged tooth. In general language, to be crowning means to be at the peak, to be reaching the top, or to be completing something with a final honor, as in a crowning achievement means the greatest accomplishment. It can also mean to be putting a crown on someone, as in crowning a king or queen during coronation. In slang, to be crowning someone can mean hitting them on the head. In everyday speech, saying the project is crowning means it is reaching its culmination. So to be crowning usually means to be at the final, visible, culminating stage of a process.