Langimage
English

neither

|nei/ther|

B1

🇺🇸

/ˈniːðər/

🇬🇧

/ˈnaɪðə/

not either

Etymology
Etymology Information

'neither' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'nāhwæþer', where 'nā' meant 'not' and 'hwæþer' meant 'whether'.

Historical Evolution

'nāhwæþer' changed from Old English word 'nāhwæþer' and eventually became the modern English word 'neither'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'not either of two', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Adjective 1

not the one nor the other of two; not either.

Neither answer is correct.

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Antonyms

Pronoun 1

not one nor the other of two people or things; not either.

Neither of the options was suitable.

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Antonyms

Conjunction 1

used to introduce the second or last of two or more alternatives, the first of which is introduced by 'neither'.

Neither the blue shirt nor the red one fits me.

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Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:35