or

1 of 8

conjunction (1)

ər,

ˈȯr 

 Southern also  ˈär

1

—used as a function word to indicate an alternative

coffee or tea

sink or swim

, the equivalent or substitutive character of two words or phrases

lessen or abate

, or approximation or uncertainty

in five or six days

2

archaic : either

3

archaic : whether

4

—used in logic as a sentential connective that forms a complex sentence which is true when at least one of its constituent sentences is true compare disjunction

or

2 of 8

preposition

archaic

: before

or

3 of 8

conjunction (2)

archaic

: before

or

4 of 8

noun (1)

ˈȯr 

: the heraldic color gold or yellow

OR

5 of 8

noun (2)

ˈȯr 

: a logical operator that requires at least one of two inputs to be present or conditions to be met for an output to be made or a statement to be executed

OR gate in a computer

OR

6 of 8

abbreviation

1

operating room

2

operational research; operations research

3

Oregon

4

owner's risk

5

own recognizance

-or

7 of 8

noun suffix (1)

: one that does a (specified) thing

grantor

-or

8 of 8

noun suffix (2)

: condition : activity

demeanor

Word History

Etymology

Conjunction (1) and Noun (2)

Middle English, alteration of other, alteration of Old English oththe; akin to Old High German eddo or

Preposition

Middle English, from or, adverb, early, before, from Old Norse ār; akin to Old English ǣr early — more at ere

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, gold, from Latin aurum — more at aureus

Noun suffix (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French -ur, -our, -eour & Latin -or; Anglo-French -ur, -our, from Latin -or; Anglo-French -eour, from Latin -ator, from -a-, verb stem + -tor, agent suffix; akin to Greek -tōr, agent suffix, Sanskrit -tā

Noun suffix (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin

First Known Use

Conjunction (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Conjunction (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1947, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing or

• account for (someone or something)
• all-or-none
• all-or-nothing
• as (someone or something) goes
• a thing or two
• at one time or another
• at someone's or something's mercy
• at some time or other
• attribute (something) to (someone or something)
• avoid (someone or something) like the plague
• awaken (someone or something) to (something)
• beg, borrow, or/and steal
• believe it or not
• bow down to (someone or something)
• break from (someone or something)
• by hook or by crook
• catch (someone or something) by surprise
• chew (someone) up and spit (him or her) out
• close by (someone or something)
• close/hard/hot on someone's or something's heels
• come hell or high water
• come rain or (come) shine
• common or garden
• do an injustice to (someone or something)
• do-or-die
• do (someone or something) an injustice
• double or nothing
• double or quits
• eat/have someone or something for lunch
• eat someone's or something's lunch
• either-or
• fight-or-flight
• fish or cut bait
• fob someone or something off
• for better or (for) worse
• for love or money
• for one reason or another
• for some reason or another
• for some reason or other
• get on with (something or someone)
• get (someone or something) wrong
• get (something) out of (something or someone)
• give or take
• give (someone or something) a clean bill of health
• give (someone or something) a/the once-over
• give (someone or something) a wide berth
• give up on (someone or something)
• good for (someone or something)
• have a way of (being something or doing something)
• have (got) someone or something covered
• have (someone or something) (all) to oneself
• have (someone or something) in mind
• have (someone or something) to thank for (something)
• hell or high water
• hide or hair
• hit or miss
• hold back (someone or something )
• hold (someone or something) in high regard
• hush up (someone or something)
• in any way, shape, or form
• in defense of (something or someone)
• In no way shape or form
• in order for (someone or something) to
• in someone's or something's clutches
• in someone's or something's wake
• in something's or someone's defense
• keep a watchful eye on (someone or something)
• keep (someone or something) at arm's length
• keep (someone or something) back
• keep (someone or something) going
• know something or someone for what it/he/she is
• leave (someone or something) be
• leave someone to his or her own devices
• let (someone or something) be
• life-or-death
• like it or lump it
• make-or-break
• mess (something or someone) up
• milk/bleed/suck (someone or something) dry
• more or less
• no ifs, ands, or buts
• not know whether to laugh or cry
• not make head or/nor tail of
• not make heads or/nor tails (out) of
• not touch (someone or something) with a bargepole
• not touch (someone or something) with a ten-foot pole
• of one kind/sort/type or another
• once or twice
• one or the other
• one or two
• one way or another
• on one pretext or another
• on sale or return
• open (someone or something) to (someone or something)
• or anything
• or bust
• or else
• or otherwise
• or so
• or some such
• or something
• or under
• or what
• pack (someone or something) in
• pass (someone or something) off as
• pave the way for (something or someone)
• pick (someone or something) to pieces/shreds
• play (someone or something) off against (someone or something)
• plus or minus
• praise (someone or something) to the skies
• press (someone or something) into service
• pump (someone or something) full of (something)
• put a name to (someone or something)
• put (someone or something) in the shade
• put (someone or something) through his/her/its paces
• put (someone or something) to shame
• put (someone or something) to the test
• put (something or someone) on the map
• put the screws on/to (someone or something)
• put up or shut up
• rain or shine
• rhyme or reason
• ride on (something or someone)
• rid (someone or something) of
• root (someone or something) on
• see (something) in (something or someone)
• see the last of (someone or something)
• set (something or someone) against
• settle (someone or something) down
• show/teach (someone) a trick or two
• sic (something) on (someone or something)
• sink or swim
• somehow or other
• someone's world revolves around (someone or something)
• something or other
• sooner or later
• stand or fall
• string along with (someone or something)
• surround oneself with (someone or something)
• swing at (someone or something)
• take it or leave it
• take (someone or something) by surprise
• take (someone or something) seriously
• take the place of (someone or something)
• tear (someone or something) to pieces/shreds
• tee off on (someone or something)
• the only (person or thing) for
• to a greater or lesser degree/extent
• to subject (someone or something) to
• trick or treat
• turn out like (someone or something)
• watch (someone or something) like a hawk
• wave (someone or something) through
• whether or no
• whether or not
• winkle (someone or something) out of
• win or lose
• wipe (someone or something) off the face of the earth
• wipe (someone or something) off the map
• wish (someone or something) on (someone)
• without let or hindrance
• wittingly or not
• wittingly or unwittingly

Kids Definition

or

1 of 3 conjunction

ər,

(ˌ)ȯ(ə)r

—used to indicate an alternative

coffee or tea

sink or swim

-or

2 of 3 noun suffix

ər,

ˌȯ(ə)r,

ˈȯ(ə)r

: one that does a specified thing

elevator

-or

3 of 3 noun suffix

ər

: condition : activity

demeanor

Etymology

Noun suffix

derived from Latin -or or -ator, both meaning "one that does something"

Noun suffix

derived from Latin -or "condition, activity"

Medical Definition

OR

abbreviation

operating room

Legal Definition

OR

abbreviation

own recognizance