nearby

Pronunciation

• IPA: UK /ˌnɪəˈbaɪ/, US /ˌnɪrˈbaɪ/^[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English nerby, nere by,^[2] a compound of the adverbs near and by.^[3][2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Close at hand, not far off: the late 14th century in Etymonline,^[3] the 15th century in Merriam-Webster,^[2] late Middle English in SOED.^[4]

Semantic evolution

As a preposition it is from the mid-15th century, now dialectal.^[3][4] In Scotland it also meant “nearly, almost”.^[4] The adjective, close at hand, neighbouring, is by 1858, the mid-19th century in SOED.^[3][4] It is often written as two words when used adverbially,^[4] and the stress shifts to the first syllable before a noun, as in a nearby town.^[1] Middle English also had nerhonde “near at hand”.^[3]

Timeline

• late 14th century – adverb.^[3]
• mid-15th century – preposition.^[3]
• 1858 – adjective.^[3]

Modern meaning

Adjective

1. Located a short distance away; close at hand.

Adverb

1. Not far away; close by: they live nearby.

Related words

• near
• by

References

1. ^ a b 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 Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e f Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press