oþer

Middle English

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Adjective

oþer

1. other (not the same, not identical)

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *anþar, from Proto-Germanic *anþeraz. Cognate with Old High German andar, Old Norse annarr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈoː.θer/,

Numeral

ōþer

1. second

Adjective

ōþer

1. other
   • late 9th century, translation of Bede's Ecclesiastical History

     Hē hrædlīċe his sealmas ġeleornode and ēac fela ōðerra bōca.

     He quickly learned his psalms and many other books too.

   • late 10th century, Ælfric, the Old English Hexateuch, Genesis 29:19

     Lēofre mē is þæt iċ hīe selle þē þonne ōðrum menn. Wuna mid mē!

     I'd rather give her to you than to someone else. Stay with me!

2. second
   • late 9th century, translation of Bede's Ecclesiastical History

     Hēr endaþ sēo ōðer bōc. And hēr onġinþ sēo þridde.

     Here ends the second book. And here begins the third.

   • Blickling Homilies, "The Third Sunday in Lent"

     Eallum cristenum mannum is beboden þæt hīe ealne heora līchaman seofon sīðum ġebletsian mid Cristes rōde tācne: ǣrest on ǣrne morgen, ōðre sīðe on underntīd, þriddan sīðe on midne dæġ, fēorðan sīðe on nōntīd, fīftan sīðe on ǣfen, sixtan sīðe on niht ǣr hē reste, seofoþan sīðe on ūhtan.

     All Christians are commanded to bless their entire body seven times with the sign of the cross: first early in the morning, the second time at nine o'clock, the third time at noon, the fourth time at three, the fifth time in the evening, the sixth time at night before one goes to sleep, the seventh time before dawn.

3. one of two
   • Blickling Homilies, "The Birth of John the Baptist"

     Sē þe hæbbe twā tunecan, selle ōðre þām þe nānne næbbe.

     If you have two tunics, give one to someone who has none.

   • c. 995, Ælfric, Extracts on Grammar in English

     Is ēac tō witenne þæt naman bēoþ oft ōðres cynnes on Lǣden and ōðres cynnes on Englisċ.

     Note also that nouns are often one gender in Latin and another in English.

   • late 9th century, Old English Martyrology

     Sume ġēare him bærst miċel wund on ōðrum þēo, and hē stōd þurh eall þæt ġēar on ānum fēt.

     One year a large wound burst open on one of his thighs, and he stood on one leg for the whole year.

   • late 9th century, translation of Orosius' History Against the Pagans

     Æfter þām Philippus feaht on Thēbana rīċe and him wearþ þæt ōðer ēage mid āne flāne ūt āsċoten.

     After that, Philip fought in Thebes and had one of his eyes shot out with an arrow.

   • late 9th century, Old English Martyrology

     Sanctus Petrus hine onsende mid twām mæsseprēostum tō Gālwēala mæġðe. Þā forþfērde þāra mæsseprēosta ōðer on þām sīþfæte.

     Saint Paul sent him with two priests out to Gaul. Then one of the priests died during the journey.

   • c. 1932, J. R. R. Tolkien, Old English version of the "Annals of Valinor"

     Æfter þon þe Godēðel wearþ ġetimbred and Godaburg, ġesċōpon þā Godu þā Twēġen Bēamas, ōðerne of seolfre, ōðerne of golde ġeworhtne, þe heora blostma onlīehte Godēðel.

     After the building of Valinor, and Valmar the city of the Gods, the Valar brought into being the Two Trees, one made of silver, the other of gold, whose bloom gave light unto Valinor.

4. next
   • c. 890, The Voyage of Ohthere and Wulfstan

     Þā fōr hē swā feorr swā hē meahte on þām ōðrum þrim dagum ġesiġlan.

     Then he traveled as far as he could sail in the next three days.

   • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Nativity of the Lord"

     On þone ōðerne dæġ wæs Aarones ġierd ġemēttu grōwendu mid bōgum and blōwendu and berendu hnyte.

     The next day, Aaron's rod was found growing branches, and blooming, and bearing nuts.

Declension

Derived terms

• ōþer healf
• ōþer twēġa

Descendants

• Middle English: other
  • English: other
  • Yola: oother, other