near
/nɪə̯/
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.29 in modern English
4
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
adj
Example Sentences
- "I can't see near objects very clearly without my glasses."
- "Stay near at all times."
- "At the end of the line nearest the Arch, under a flary light, stood an old bearded man having the look on his face of a kindly but somewhat irritated moo-cow."
- "Without any ceremony the near man let drive at my throat with one of those beastly wavy daggers they go in for."
- "The end is near."
- "We're getting near to Christmas."
Etymology
From Middle English nere, ner, from Old English nēar (“nearer”, comparative of nēah (“nigh”), the superlative would become next), influenced by Old Norse nær (“near”), both originating from Proto-Germanic *nēhwiz (“nearer”), comparative of the adverb *nēhw (“near”), from the adjective *nēhwaz, ultimately from Pre-Proto-Germanic *h₂nḗḱwos, a lengthened-grade adjective derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ- (“to reach”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian nai, noi, näi (“close, near”), Saterland Frisian nai (“close, near”), Dutch na (“close”), naar (“to, towards”), Dutch Low Saxon nao (“after”), German nach (“after”), nahe (“near”), näher (“nearer”), German Low German nao, nå (“towards”), Luxembourgish no (“after”), Danish, Faroese, Icelandic, Norwegian Bokmål, and Norwegian Nynorsk nær (“close, near”), Swedish när, nära (“close, near”), Gothic 𐌽𐌴𐍈 (nēƕ, “close, near”). See also nigh. Near appears to be derived from (or at the very least influenced by) the North Germanic languages; as opposed to nigh, which continues the inherited West Germanic adjective. Both, however, are ultimately derived from the same Proto-Germanic root: *nēhw (“near, close”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /nɪə̯/
- British English: /nɪə/
Usage
Inflected Forms
nearer (comparative)
nearest (superlative)
nears (present, singular)
nearing (participle, present)
neared (participle, past)
neared (past)
nears (plural)
neer (alternative)
niere (alternative)
neire (alternative)