other

1 of 5

adjective

oth·​er ˈə-t͟hər 

1

a

: being the one (as of two or more) remaining or not included

held on with one hand and waved with the other one

b

: being the one or ones distinct from that or those first mentioned or implied

taller than the other boys

c

: second

every other day

2

: not the same : different

any other color would have been better

something other than it seems to be

3

: additional

sold in the U.S. and 14 other countries

4

a

: recently past

the other evening

b

: former

in other times

5

: disturbingly or threateningly different : alien, exotic

other

2 of 5

noun

1

: a different or additional one

the others came later

2

a

: one that remains of two or more

b

: a thing opposite to or excluded by something else

went from one side to the other

nature as the other of culture

3

a

: one (such as another person) that is psychologically differentiated from the self

b

often capitalized : one considered by members of a dominant group as alien, exotic, threatening, or inferior (as because of different racial, sexual, or cultural characteristics)

other

3 of 5

pronoun

sometimes plural in construction

1

: a different or additional one

something or other

2

obsolete

a

: one of two that remains

b

: each preceding one

other

4 of 5

adverb

: otherwise

—used with than

was unable to see them other than by going to their home

other

5 of 5

verb

othered; othering

transitive verb

: to treat or consider (a person or a group of people) as alien to oneself or one's group (as because of different racial, sexual, or cultural characteristics)

… we trace how in small rural communities these processes of othering the poor are racialized

—Victoria Lawson et al.

You go in and don't have to go some dark, scary corner for the plus-size section. It can make you feel like you're not being othered and dehumanized.

—Amanda Levitt

othering

ˈə-t͟hə-riŋ 

ˈət͟h-

noun

I am a black writer struggling with and through a language that can powerfully evoke and enforce hidden signs of racial superiority, cultural hegemony, and dismissive "othering" of people …

—Toni Morrison

Did you know?

Is other a verb?

Like many English words, other possesses great flexibility in meaning and function. Over the past few centuries, it has served as an adjective, an adverb, a noun, and a pronoun. In recent decades, other has increased its part-of-speech portfolio to include verb use, having acquired the meaning "to treat or consider (a person or a group of people) as alien to oneself or one's group (as because of different racial, sexual, or cultural characteristics).” Some people find it disconcerting when a word takes on a new part of speech, a process known as functional shift. The phenomenon is quite common, however -- our language contains many thousands of words which have been formed in this fashion.

Synonyms

Adjective

• different
• disparate
• dissimilar
• distant
• distinct
• distinctive
• distinguishable
• diverse
• nonidentical
• unalike
• unlike

Adverb

• differently
• else
• otherwise

Examples of other in a Sentence

Adjective

These and other issues will be discussed at the next meeting.

The driver's wife and two other passengers were injured in the accident.

Leaders from China, Russia, and 14 other countries attended the conference.

Adverb

we cannot make it to the party other than by canceling the previous engagement

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Teams were in the field to assess houses and other structures that have been destroyed or damaged. —Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024

Officials had not made progress on containing the fire, and there was no official count for the number of homes the Mountain Fire has destroyed in Camarillo Heights and other parts of Ventura County. —Phil Helsel, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024

Noun

The Spartans also have a strong freshman in Lauren Wolfe. … Pacifica Christian will host a four-game showcase on Nov. 26 headlined by Fairmont Prep against Sierra Canyon at 7 p.m. … The Troy Classic will run Dec. 2-7 and include Mater Dei, Fairmont Prep and Ontario Christian among others. —Dan Albano, Orange County Register, 7 Nov. 2024

The software compiles others into reports and tables. —PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024

Adverb

Intel passing on the OpenAI investment mirrors other missed opportunities by giant companies that failed to see the future clearly. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2024

Indeed there had been other more obvious candidates for the job. —Nicole Gull McElroy, Fortune, 16 June 2022

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Noun, Pronoun, and Adverb

Middle English, from Old English ōther; akin to Old High German andar other, Sanskrit antara

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Pronoun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1985, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing other

• all/other things being equal
• among other things
• any other
• at each other's throats
• at some time or other
• be/live in each other's pockets
• cancel each other/one another out
• each other
• every other
• for some reason or other
• from one extreme to the other
• gave each other dap
• have other ideas
• how the other half lives
• in one ear and out the other
• in other words
• it's six of one and half a dozen of the other
• it's six of one, half (a) dozen of the other
• laugh on the other side of one's face
• like no other
• look the other way
• made for each other
• meant for each other
• none other than
• no other
• one or the other
• one other
• one right after the other
• on the other hand
• opposite/other extreme
• other-directed
• other half
• other man
• other than
• other woman
• put one foot in front of the other
• significant other
• somehow or other
• some other
• something or other
• the boot is on the other foot
• the grass is always greener on the other side (of the fence)
• the other
• the other day/night/morning/afternoon/evening
• the other/opposite/flip side of the coin
• the other way around
• the other way round
• the other woman
• the shoe is on the other foot
• this, that, and the other
• turn the other cheek

Kids Definition

other

1 of 4 adjective

oth·​er ˈət͟h-ər 

1

: not being the one or ones first mentioned or included

broke my other arm

2

: having one come before that is not included or counted : second

every other day

3

: not the same : different

any other color would be better

4

: additional

some other guests are coming

5

: recently past

the other evening

other

2 of 4 noun

1

: a remaining one

lift one foot and then the other

2

: a different or additional one

the others came later

other

3 of 4 pronoun

: a different or additional one

something or other

other

4 of 4 adverb

: otherwise sense 1

could not get there other than by helicopter