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or

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Appendix:Variations of "or"
Languages (25)
Translingual • English
Aromanian • Basque • Catalan • French • Ido • Italian • Japanese • Middle English • Middle French • Middle High German • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old English • Old French • Old Frisian • Romanian • Romansh • Scots • Scottish Gaelic • Swedish • Tocharian A • Tocharian B • Yola
Page categories

Translingual

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Etymology 1

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Clipping of English Oriya or Odia ଓଡ଼ିଆ (oṛiā).

Symbol

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or

  1. (international standards) ISO 639-1 language code for Odia.

See also

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Etymology 2

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Clipping of English orbicula.

Symbol

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or

  1. (entomology) Abbreviation of orbicula.

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology 1

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From Middle English or; partially contracted from other, auther, from Old English āþor, āwþer, āhwæþer ("some, any, either"; > either); and partially from Middle English oththe, from Old English oþþe, from Proto-Germanic *efþau (“or”).

Pronunciation

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Conjunction

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or

  1. Connects at least two alternative words, phrases, clauses, sentences, etc., each of which could make a passage true.
    You may stay or go.
    He might get cancer, or be hit by a bus, or God knows what.
  2. (logic) An operator denoting the disjunction of two propositions or truth values. There are two forms, the inclusive or and the exclusive or.
  3. Counts the elements before and after as two possibilities.
  4. Otherwise (a consequence of the condition that the previous is false).
    It's raining! Come inside or you'll catch a cold!
  5. Connects two equivalent names.
    The country Myanmar, or Burma
Usage notes
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  • (connecting alternative terms): When not implied by the meaning of the conjoins, it is generally ambiguous whether “or” is intended in an exclusive or inclusive sense. In speech, various means may be used to convey exclusivity, such as stress on the word “or” or a rising intonation before it.[1] In a formal or technical register, and/or may be used to specify inclusivity.
Derived terms
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Translations
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See also
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Etymology 2

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From Etymology 1 (sense 2 above).

Noun

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

or (plural ors)

  1. (logic, electronics) Alternative form of OR.

See also

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Etymology 3

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    From late Middle English or (“gold”), borrowed from Middle French or (“yellow”), from Old French or, from Latin aurum (“gold”). Doublet of aurum.

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    English Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia

    or (countable and uncountable, plural ors)

    2. (heraldry) The gold or yellow tincture on a coat of arms.
      • 1909, Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, A Complete Guide to Heraldry:
        The metals are gold and silver, these being termed "or" and "argent".
      • 1889, Charles Norton Elvin, A Dictionary of Heraldry:
        In engraving, "Or" is expressed by dots.
      or:  
    Usage notes
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    • This word may be capitalized (azure, a bend Or) to avoid confusion with the conjunction or.
    Synonyms
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    • (gold or yellow tincture): o., Or
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    • Au (chemical symbol for gold)
    Translations
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    Adjective

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    or (not comparable)

    1. (heraldry) Of gold or yellow tincture on a coat of arms.
    Synonyms
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    Translations
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    Etymology 4

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    From Late Old English ār, from Old Norse ár. Compare ere.

    Adverb

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    or

    1. (obsolete) Early (on).
    2. (obsolete) Earlier, previously.

    Preposition

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    or

    1. (archaic or dialectal) Before; ere. Generally followed by "ever" or "e'er".
      • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ecclesiastes 12:6-7:
        Or euer the siluer corde be loosed, or the golden bowle be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountaine, or the wheele broken at the cisterne. Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall returne vnto God who gaue it.
      • 1834, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner:
        I looked to heaven, and tried to pray;
        But or ever a prayer had gusht,
        A wicked whisper came, and made
        My heart as dry as dust.
      • 1906, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], Time and the Gods‎[2], London: William Heineman, →OCLC, page 3:
        And Time went forth into the worlds to obey the commands of the gods, yet he cast furtive glances at his masters, and the gods distrusted Time because he had known the worlds or ever the gods became.

    References

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    1. ^ Huddleston, Rodney (1988), English Grammar: An Outline, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, pages 198–99

    Anagrams

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    Aromanian

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    Alternative forms

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    Etymology

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    From Latin ōrō. Compare Daco-Romanian ura, urez.

    Verb

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    or (participle uratã)

    1. to pray

    Synonyms

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    Basque

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    Basque Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia eu

    Alternative forms

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    Etymology

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    1103; variant of hor, from Proto-Basque *hoŕ. Mostly replaced by zakur.

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    or anim

    1. dog

    Declension

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    Declension of or (inan ɾ-stem)
    indefinite singular plural proximal plural
    absolutive or ora orak orok
    ergative orek orak orek orok
    dative ori orari orei oroi
    genitive oren oraren oren oron
    comitative orekin orarekin orekin orokin
    causative orengatik orarengatik orengatik orongatik
    benefactive orentzat orarentzat orentzat orontzat
    instrumental orez oraz orez orotaz
    inessive oretan orean oretan orotan
    locative oretako oreko oretako orotako
    allative oretara orera oretara orotara
    terminative oretaraino oreraino oretaraino orotaraino
    directive oretarantz orerantz oretarantz orotarantz
    destinative oretarako orerako oretarako orotarako
    ablative oretatik oretik oretatik orotatik
    partitive orik — — —
    prolative ortzat — — —

    Synonyms

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    Further reading

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    • “or”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language]
    • “or”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005

    Catalan

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    Chemical element (edit)
    Au
    Atomic number 79
    or
    Classification data
    Period 6
    Group 11
    Block d-block
    Class transition metal
    Previous: ← platí (Pt)
    Next: mercuri (Hg) →

    Alternative forms

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    Etymology

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    From Latin aurum, from Proto-Italic *auzom, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂é-h₂us-o- (“glow”), from *h₂ews- (“to dawn, become light, become red”).

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    or m (plural ors)

    1. gold
    2. (heraldry) or

    Derived terms

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    French

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    Pronunciation

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    Etymology 1

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    From Middle French or, from Old French or, from Latin aurum, from Proto-Italic *auzom, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂é-h₂us-o- (“glow”), from *h₂ews- (“to dawn, become light, become red”).

    Noun

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    or m (plural ors)

    1. gold
    2. (heraldry) or (yellow in heraldry)
    Derived terms
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    Descendants
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    • ⇒ Haitian Creole: lò
    • ⇒ Mauritian Creole: lor
    See also
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    Etymology 2

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    From Middle French ore, from Old French ore, from Vulgar Latin hā horā, alteration of hāc horā (“(in) this hour”, ablative). Compare Italian ora, Spanish ahora, Portuguese agora.

    Adverb

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    or

    1. (obsolete) now, presently

    Conjunction

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    or

    1. yet, however, now, that said, as it happens (introduces the second term in a syllogism)
      • 1943, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, chapter II, in Le petit prince [The Little Prince], New York: Reynal & Hitchcock:
        Je regardai donc cette apparition avec des yeux tout ronds d’étonnement. N’oubliez pas que je me trouvais à 1000 milles de toute région habitée. Or mon petit bonhomme ne me semblait ni égaré, ni mort de fatigue, ni mort de faim, ni mort de soif, ni mort de peur.
        So I looked at this apparition with eyes all round with astonishment. Do not forget that I was a thousand miles from any inhabited region. Now my little man did not seem to me to be lost, nor dead from fatigue, nor dead from hunger, nor dead from thirst, nor dead from fear.

    Usage notes

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    This is often used to introduce contrasting information (like English however). However, the information need not be contrasting, but can simply be supplemental information that leads to a subsequent conclusion (similar to English as it happens).

    Further reading

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    Ido

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    Etymology

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    Borrowing from French or, Italian ora and Spanish ahora.

    Pronunciation

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    Conjunction

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    or

    1. now, but (in argument)

    Usage notes

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    Or expresses not only a sequence of two propositions, but induces a new argument, a further premise, explanation, motive. When the premise (motive) follows the conclusion, nam is used instead.

    Italian

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    Adverb

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    or (apocopated)

    1. apocopic form of ora (“now”), used almost exclusively in the forms or ora (“just now”) and or sono (“ago”)

    Derived terms

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    Anagrams

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    Japanese

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    Particle

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    or(オア) • (oa) 

    1. alternative form of オア (“or”)

    Middle English

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    Etymology 1

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    From ọ̄̆ther and outher.

    Alternative forms

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    Pronunciation

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    Conjunction

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    or

    1. or
    Descendants
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    References
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    Etymology 2

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    Inherited from Old English ōr, from Proto-West Germanic *ōʀ, from Proto-Germanic *ōsaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃éh₁os (“mouth”).

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    or

    1. (Early Middle English, hapax legomenon) beginning, start
    References
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    Etymology 3

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    Determiner

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    or

    1. (chiefly Early Middle English and West Midland) alternative form of here (“their”)

    Etymology 4

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    Noun

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    or

    1. alternative form of ore (“honour”)

    Etymology 5

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    Noun

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    or

    1. alternative form of ore (“ore”)

    Etymology 6

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    Determiner

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    or

    1. alternative form of your

    Middle French

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    Alternative forms

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    • aur (alternate latinized spelling)

    Etymology 1

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    Inherited from Old French or.

    Noun

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    or m (uncountable)

    1. gold (metal)
    2. gold (color)
    Descendants
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    • French: or
      • ⇒ Haitian Creole: lò
      • ⇒ Mauritian Creole: lor
    • → English: or

    Etymology 2

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    See ore.

    Adverb

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    or

    1. alternative form of ore
    Descendants
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    • French: or
      • ⇒ Haitian Creole: lò
      • ⇒ Mauritian Creole: lor

    Middle High German

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    Pronunciation

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    • IPA(key): (before 13th CE) /ˈoːr/

    Noun

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    ōr n

    1. alternative form of œre

    Declension

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    Declension of ōr (strong neuter with null plural)
    singular plural
    indef. def. noun def. noun
    nominative ein daȥ ōr diu ōr
    genitive eines dës ōrs, ōres dër ōr, ōre
    dative eime dëm ōr, ōre dën ōrn, ōren
    accusative ein daȥ ōr diu ōr

    Norwegian Bokmål

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    Norwegian Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia no

    Etymology

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    From Old Norse ǫlr, órir.

    Noun

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    or f or m (definite singular ora or oren, indefinite plural orer, definite plural orene)

    1. an alder (tree of genus Alnus)

    Synonyms

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    References

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    Norwegian Nynorsk

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    Norwegian Nynorsk Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia nn

    Pronunciation

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    Etymology 1

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    From Old Norse ǫlr, órir. Akin to English alder.

    Noun

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    or f (definite singular ora, indefinite plural orer, definite plural orene)

    or m (definite singular oren, indefinite plural orar, definite plural orane)

    1. an alder (tree of genus Alnus)

    Etymology 2

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    From Old Norse ór.

    Alternative forms

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    Pronunciation

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    • IPA(key): /uːr/, (chiefly dialectal) /uː/
    • IPA(key): /o/ (unstressed)

    Preposition

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    or

    1. out of
      Gå or minne
      Fade out of memory
    2. from
      • 1956, Olav H. Hauge, Gjer ein annan mann ei beine:
        Han kom or fjellet, skulde heim, […] .
        He came from the mountain, was heading home […] .
    Usage notes
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    The use of or is largely similar to av (“of”), but have more or less the same relation as i (“in”) and på (“on”) (å, oppå), so that something that is i comes or, and something that is på comes av. E.g. koma or sjøen (“come out of the sea”) referring to fish, but koma av sjøen (“come off the sea”), referring to a fisherman.

    Derived terms
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    References

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    Old English

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    Etymology

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    From Proto-West Germanic *ōʀō, *ōʀ, from Proto-Germanic *ōzô, *ōsaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃éh₁os (“mouth”).

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    ōr n

    1. origin, beginning
    2. front, vanguard

    Declension

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    Strong a-stem:

    singular plural
    nominative ōr ōr
    accusative ōr ōr
    genitive ōres ōra
    dative ōre ōrum
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    Descendants

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    • Middle English: or (early, hapax)

    References

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    Old French

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    Pronunciation

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    Etymology 1

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    Inherited from Latin aurum.

    Noun

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    or oblique singular, m (oblique plural ors, nominative singular ors, nominative plural or)

    1. gold (metal)
    2. gold (color)
    3. (by extension) blond(e) color
    Descendants
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    • Middle French: or
      • French: or
        • ⇒ Haitian Creole: lò
        • ⇒ Mauritian Creole: lor
      • → English: or
    • Walloon: ôr

    Etymology 2

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    See ore.

    Adverb

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    or

    1. alternative form of ore

    Old Frisian

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    Pronunciation

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    Adjective

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    ōr

    1. Old West Frisian form of ōther

    References

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    • Bremmer, Rolf H. (2009), An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN

    Romanian

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    Pronunciation

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    Verb

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    (ele/ei) or (modal auxiliary, third-person plural form of vrea, used with infinitives to form presumptive tenses)

    1. (they) might
      fiindcă or avea ceva pe care noi nu-l avem, va trebui să așteptăm puțin
      being that they might have something that we don't, we will need to wait a bit

    Verb

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    or (modal auxiliary, ? form of avea, used with ? to form ? tenses)

    1. (informal, sometimes proscribed) Variation of o in the third person plural.
      Or să vină într-un minut.
      They will come in a minute.

    Adverb

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    or

    1. alternative form of ori

    Romansh

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    Alternative forms

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    Etymology

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    From Latin aurum.

    Noun

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    or m

    1. (Sutsilvan, Puter, Vallader) gold

    Scots

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    Etymology

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    A variant of ere, obsolete in modern English.

    Conjunction

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    or

    1. before or until (only in certain senses)
      It'll nae be lang or A gang ma holiday.- It'll not be long until/ before I go on holiday

    Usage notes

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    Not archaic, but rare amongst young people.

    Scottish Gaelic

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    Etymology

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    Possibly from Old Irish amar (“song, singing”). See òran.

    Noun

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    or m (genitive singular ora, plural ora or orthachan or orrachan or orthannan)

    1. hymn, incantation, petition, prayer

    Synonyms

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    Verb

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    or (past dh’or, future oridh, verbal noun oradh, past participle orte)

    1. chant, sing
      Tha Màiri ag oradh. ― Mary is singing.

    Swedish

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    Swedish Wikipedia has an article on:
    Wikipedia sv

    Etymology

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    Related to orna (“moldy, spoiled by mites”), Danish oret, of obscure ultimate origin. Compare oren (“impure, dirty, unclean, rotten”).[1]

    Noun

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    or n

    1. any mite in the superfamily Acaroidea, order Astigmata

    Usage notes

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    Popular as a crossword entry.

    Declension

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    Declension of or
    nominative genitive
    singular indefinite or ors
    definite oret orets
    plural indefinite or ors
    definite oren orens

    See also

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    References

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    1. ^ “or”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy]‎[1] (in Swedish), 1898–2023

    Anagrams

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    Tocharian A

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    Etymology

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    From Proto-Indo-European *dóru, with unexplained loss of initial */d/. Compare Tocharian B or.

    Noun

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    or n

    1. wood

    Tocharian B

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    Etymology

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    From Proto-Indo-European *dóru, with unexplained loss of initial */d/. Compare Tocharian A or.

    Noun

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    or n

    1. wood
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    Yola

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    Conjunction

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    or

    1. alternative form of ar
      • 1867, GLOSSARY OF THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 78:
        Wich ad wough bethther kwingokee or baagchoosee vursth?
        Whether had we better churn or bake first?
      • 1867, “A YOLA ZONG”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 9, page 88:
        Na, now or neveare! w' cry't t' Tommeen,
        Nay, now or never! we cry'd to Tommy,
      • 1867, “A YOLA ZONG”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 11, page 88:
        Up caame ee ball, an a dap or a kewe
        Up came the ball, and a tap or a shove
      • 1867, “CASTEALE CUDDE'S LAMENTATION”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 4, page 104:
        Hea pryet ich mought na ha chicke or hen,
        He prayed I might not have chicken nor hen,

    References

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    • Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867
    Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=or&oldid=91365572"