'neighbor' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'nēahgebūr', where 'nēah' meant 'near' and 'gebūr' meant 'dweller'.

'nēahgebūr' transformed into the Middle English word 'neighebor', and eventually became the modern English word 'neighbor'.

Initially, it meant 'a person living nearby', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.