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besides

Etymology and origin of the English word besides

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1200
From
Middle English bisides

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /bɪˈsaɪdz/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English bisides,[2] formed from beside and the adverbial genitive ending -s, -es.[3][2][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

As a preposition, about 1200 in Etymonline and the OED,[3][6] probably before 1200 in Layamon's Brut according to Barnhart;[2] at first “by the side of, close by”, the same as beside.[6]

Semantic evolution

It came into general use about 1390 and after.[2][3] It once shared all the senses of beside, but is now limited to the meanings “in addition to” and “otherwise”.[3][6] The adverb “in addition, as well” is from 1564,[6][7] and introducing a further point, “moreover”, from 1596;[6] “other than, else” is also from 1596.[6] The preposition “over and above, in addition to” is from 1535.[6] The colloquial shortening 'sides is attested by the 1570s.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1200 – preposition, by the side of.[3][6]
  • 1535 – in addition to.[6]
  • 1564 – adverb, as well.[6][7]
  • 1570s – 'sides.[3]
  • 1596 – moreover.[6]

Modern meaning

Adverb

  1. In addition; also.
  2. Moreover; furthermore: besides, it's too late.
  3. Otherwise; else.

Preposition

  1. In addition to: others besides us.
  2. Except for; other than.

Usage notes

The American Heritage notes that in modern usage the senses “in addition to” and “except for” are expressed more often by besides than by beside: he had few friends besides us.[8]

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000), 4th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  5. ^ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  8. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Cite this entry

“Besides.” Etymologically, 15 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/besides. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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