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

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:3.0 / 4 votes

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"

WiktionaryRate this definition:3.3 / 3 votes

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 DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. either

   Either/Or is an influential book by philosopher Søren Kierkegaard.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. either

   The term "either" typically refers to having a choice between two possibilities or options. It denotes a situation in which one can choose one option or the other, but not both.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:3.5 / 2 votes

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 DictionaryRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

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 ContributionRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. either

   A choice.

   Either of them were happy to go to football training.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on March 11, 2020  

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Either

   Either vs. Neither -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Either and Neither.

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

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

1. 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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. Tench Coxe:

   Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American… [T]he unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people.”, Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb. 20, 1788.

2. Golda Meir:

   To be or not to be is not a question of compromise. Either you be or you don't be.

3. Jeb Bush on his trek:

   I obviously didn't either, but I misstepped, for sure. I answered a question that wasn't asked.

4. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez:

   I mean I'm not supportive of voter ID especially nationally and to impose that, I know New Yorkers don't want that either.

5. California Democrat:

   I think it's fair to assume this involves either the President or people around him or both.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=either
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Either
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=either
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Either
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/either
7. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=either
8. ^ Usage in printed sources
   https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=either