Etymologically
Log in

nor

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 15 October 2026 at 19:22. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA: UK /nɔː/, US /nɔːr/[1]

Etymology

It is a contraction of the unstressed form of neither, inherited from Middle English nauther or nother,[2][3][4] influenced in form by or.[5] Some derive it instead from Middle English ne (“not”) and the conjunction or.[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

“And not”, continuing a preceding negative: about 1250 in Barnhart[2] and the mid-13th century in Etymonline;[5] the OED's examples begin in the 13th century.[6]

Semantic evolution

It is generally paired with neither or another negative.[5] Introducing both alternatives, nor … nor for neither … nor, is from 1576 and chiefly poetic.[6] Use without a preceding negative is from before 1548.[6] A separate nor meaning “than”, perhaps the same word, is from about 1400[6][4] and survives in Scottish, Irish, English and American dialect.[7][8]

Timeline

  • c. 1250 – “and not”.[2]
  • c. 1400 – “than”.[6]
  • before 1548 – without another negative.[6]
  • 1576 – nor … nor.[6]

Modern meaning

Conjunction

  1. And not; or not; not either, used after neither or another negative: neither here nor there.
  2. And also not: I don't like it, nor does she.
  3. (chiefly dialect) Than.

Usage notes

Usage guides say nor, not or, follows neither, and is needed when a negative carries over to a second clause; after a negative such as not or no, or is often acceptable.[8] In electronics NOR (from not or) is a logic gate, recorded from 1957.[4][9]

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. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)
  8. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  9. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press