other
AdjectiveOpen English WordNet
Adjective (4)
- not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied; quantifier, other“today isn't any other day — the White Queen”“the construction of highways and other public works”“he asked for other employment”“any other person would tell the truth”“his other books are still in storage”“then we looked at the other house”“hearing was good in his other ear”“the other sex”“she lived on the other side of the street from me”“went in the other direction”Opposite sameSimilar another, different, opposite, new, otherwiseRelates to otherness, distinctnessSee also separate
- recently past“the other evening”Opposite present, futureSimilar past
- belonging to the distant past“the early inhabitants of Europe”“former generations”“in other times”Synonyms: earlyformerOpposite present, futureSimilar past
- very unusual; different in character or quality from the normal or expected“a strange, other dimension … where his powers seemed to fail — Lance Morrow”Opposite familiarSimilar strange, unusual
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: See Or.
Either; — used with other or or for its correlative (as either... or are now used). obsolete
Other of chalk, other of glass.— Geoffrey Chaucer
Origin: AS. ōðer; akin to OS. āðar, ōðar, D. & G. ander, OHG. andar, Icel. annarr, Sw. annan, Dan. anden, Goth. anþar, Skr. antara: cf. L. alter; all orig. comparatives: cf. Skr. anya other. √180. Cf. Alter.
[Formerly other was used both as singular and plural.]
1. Different from that which, or the one who, has been specified; not the same; not identical; additional; second of two.
Each of them made other for to win.— Geoffrey Chaucer
Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.— Matt. v. 39.
2. Not this, but the contrary; opposite; as, the other side of a river.
3. Alternate; second; — used esp. in connection with every; as, every other day, that is, each alternate day, every second day.
4. Left, as opposed to right. obsolete
A distaff in her other hand she had.— Edmund Spenser
☞ Other is a correlative adjective, or adjective pronoun, often in contrast with one, some, that, this, etc. The one shall be taken, and the other left. Matt. xxiv. 41. And some fell among thorns... but other fell into good ground. Matt. xiii. 7, 8. It is also used, by ellipsis, with a noun, expressed or understood. To write this, or to design the other. John Dryden It is written with the indefinite article as one word, another; is used with each, indicating a reciprocal action or relation; and is employed absolutely, or eliptically for other thing, or other person, in which case it may have a plural. The fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Ps. xlix. 10. If he is trimming, others are true. William M. Thackeray Other is sometimes followed by but, beside, or besides; but oftener by than. No other but such a one as he. Samuel T. Coleridge Other lords beside thee have had dominion over us. Is. xxvi. 13. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid. 1 Cor. iii. 11. The whole seven years of... ignominy had been little other than a preparation for this very hour. Nathaniel Hawthorne
Other some, some others. Obs. or Prov. Eng. — The other day, at a certain time past, not distant, but indefinite; not long ago; recently; rarely, the third day past.
Bind my hair up: as 't was yesterday? No, nor t' other day.— Ben Jonson
Otherwise. “It shall none other be.” Geoffrey Chaucer “If you think other.” William Shakespeare
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54