each
/it͡ʃ/
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.69 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
det
All; every; qualifying a singular noun, indicating all examples of the thing so named seen as individual or separate items (compare every).
adv
For one; apiece; per.
adv
Individually; separately; used in a sentence with a plural subject to indicate that the action or state described by the verb applies to all members of the described group individually, rather than collectively to the entire group.
pron
Every one/thing individually or one by one.
noun
An individual item: the least quantitative unit in a grouping.
Example Sentences
- "Make sure you wash each bowl well."
- "The sun comes up each morning and sets each night."
- "Irregular bedtimes may disrupt healthy brain development in young children, according to a study of intelligence and sleeping habits. ¶ Going to bed at a different time each night affected girls more than boys, but both fared worse on mental tasks than children who had a set bedtime, researchers found."
- "The apples cost 50 cents each."
- "We ordered half a chicken each, but we each got a whole one."
- "You are each right in a different way."
Etymology
From Middle English eche, elche, ilch, from Old English ǣlċ, contraction of ǣġhwelċ. Comparable to aye + alike. Compare Scots ilk, elk (“each, every”), Saterland Frisian älk (“each”), West Frisian elk, elts (“each”), Dutch elk (“each”), Low German elk, ellik (“each”), German Low German elk, elke (“each, every”), German jeglicher (“any”). By surface analysis, Old English ā + which.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /it͡ʃ/
- British English: /iːt͡ʃ/
Inflected Forms
aich (alternative)
aitch (alternative)
eache (alternative)
eatch (alternative)
eatche (alternative)
ech (alternative)
eche (alternative)
eich (alternative)
etch (alternative)
eych (alternative)
eyche (alternative)
yeach (alternative)