Definitions for either
ˈi ðər, ˈaɪ ðər; ˈi ðər; ˈni ðər; ˈaɪ ðər; ˈnaɪ ðər; aɪei·ther

Princeton's WordNet(3.00 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. eitheradverb

   after a negative statement used as an intensive meaning something like `likewise' or `also'

   "he isn't stupid, but he isn't exactly a genius either"; "I don't know either"; "if you don't order dessert I won't either"

Wiktionary(3.33 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. eitheradverb

   as well

   I don't like him and I don't like her either.

2. eitherpronoun

   Both, each of two (people or things).

3. eitherpronoun

   One or other of two people or things.

4. eitherconjunction

   Introduces the first of two options, the second of which is introduced by "or".

   Either you eat your dinner or you go to your room.

5. Etymology: æghwæþer, from West, ultimately corresponding to ay + whether

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Eitheradverb

   A distributive adverb, answered by or; either the one or.

   Etymology: from the noun.

   We never heard of any ship that had been seen to arrive upon any shore of Europe; no nor of either the East or West Indies. Francis Bacon, New Atlantis.

   What perils shall we find,
   If either place, or time, or other course,
   Cause us to alter th’ order now assign’d? Samuel Daniel, C. War.

   Either your brethren have miserably deceived us, or power confers virtue. Jonathan Swift, to Pope.

2. Eitherpron.

   Etymology: ægðer, Saxon; auther, Scottish.

   1. Which soever of the two; whether one or the other.

   Lepidus flatters both,
   Of both is flatter’d; but he neither loves,
   Nor either cares for him. William Shakespeare, Anthony and Cleopatra.

   So like in arms these champions were,
   As they had been a very pair;
   So that a man would almost swear,
   That either had been either. Michael Drayton, Nymp.

   Goring made a fast friendship with Digby, either of them believing he could deceive the other. Edward Hyde, b. viii.

   I do not ask whether bodies do so exist, that the motion of one body cannot really be without the motion of another: to determine this either way, is to beg the question for or against a vacuum. John Locke.

   2. Each; both.

   In the process of natural beings, there seem some to be creatures placed, as it were, in the confines of several provinces, and participating something of either. Matthew Hale.

   Sev’n times the sun has either tropick view’d,
   The Winter banish’d, and the Spring renew’d. John Dryden, Virg.

Webster Dictionary(3.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Either

   one of two; the one or the other; -- properly used of two things, but sometimes of a larger number, for any one

2. Either

   each of two; the one and the other; both; -- formerly, also, each of any number

3. Either

   precedes two, or more, coordinate words or phrases, and is introductory to an alternative. It is correlative to or

4. Etymology: [OE. either, aither, AS. ger, ghwer (akin to OHG. ogiwedar, MHG. iegeweder); + ge + hwer whether. See Each, and Whether, and cf. Or, conj.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Either

   ē′thėr, or ī′thėr, adj. or pron. the one or the other: one of two: each of two.—conj. correlative to or: (B.) or. [A.S. ǽgðer, a contr. of ǽghthwæðer=á, aye, the pfx. ge-, and hwæther, the mod. whether. See also Each.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. either

   A choice.

   Either of them were happy to go to football training.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on March 11, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'either' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #427

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'either' in Written Corpus Frequency: #463

3. Adverbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'either' in Adverbs Frequency: #59

Anagrams for either »

1. theire

How to pronounce either?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say either in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of either in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of either in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of either in a Sentence

1. Marine Lt. Gen. Stuart Scheller:

   I was ready to put my head through a wall – it was like, ‘ Are you kidding ? The biggest threat is COVID ? ’ There are things rotting us from the bottom. Either you just don't know or you are playing a political game, but it doesn't matter because you are not benefiting the junior service member if that is your diagnosis of the problem.

2. Donald Trump:

   China has great influence over North Korea. And China will either decide to help us with North Korea, or they won't. And if they do that will be very good for China, and if they don't it won't be good for anyone, if China is not going to solve North Korea, we will. That is all I am telling you.

3. Shelby Smith:

   Either buckle under the pressure or I can pick myself up and make a new normal.

4. Chester Good:

   I’m not saying that physicians shouldn’t be using drugs off-label, it happens all the time, but we need to be more circumspect when we do so. Indications should either be supported by some evidence or recommended in guidelines.

5. John Updike:

   Government is either organized benevolence or organized madness; its peculiar magnitude permits no shading.

Popularity rank by frequency of use