better

A1 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled better’n

US /ˈbɛt.əɹ/ UK [ˈbɛtʰ.ə] See IPA manual

Freq #167

Meanings

1

adj
Of a higher quality or standard than something else.

This phone is better than my old one.
2

adv
In a more excellent or effective way.

She sings better than anyone in the choir.
3

adj
Healthier or less ill than before.

I felt much better after a good night's sleep.
4

verb
To improve something or make it better.

Their ideas for bettering the working conditions were well received.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

4 verb · to improve something or... improve ameliorate amend

Word family

Forms betteredbetteringbetters

Derived forms better-knownbetter-paidbetterablebettererbetterfybetterhoodbetterishbettermentbetternessbettershipbettersomeembetter

Appears in

Phrases (1)

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better known
recognized by more people or more commonly referred to in a particular way

Adverb + adjective

Idioms (1)

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get the better of
to defeat someone or gain control over a person or feeling

Proverbs (60)

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Tongue twisters (1)

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Betty Botter
Betty Botter bought some butter. “But,” she said, “this butter’s bitter; If I put it in my batter, It will make my batter bitter; But a bit of better butter Will but make my batter better.” So she bought a bit of butter Better than the bitter butter, And made her bitter batter better. So it was better Betty Botter Bought a bit of better butter.

Compare the vowels in bit, better, batter and butter while keeping /b/ steady. Use your normal accent for the middle consonant of Betty, ...

Etymology

From Middle English better, bettre, betre, from Old English betera (“better”), from Proto-West Germanic *batiʀō, from Proto-Germanic *batizô (“better”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰed-rós, from *bʰed- (“good”). Cognate with Sanskrit भ॒द्र (bhadrá, “blessed; fortunate; happy; good”) (from *bʰn̥d-ró-s). For Germanic cognates: see Proto-Germanic *batizô. Related to best and battle (“getting better; improving; fruitful; fertile”). Compare also Icelandic batna (“to improve”), bót (“improvement”), German besser. More at batten, boot. False cognate of Persian بهتر (behtar).

better Middle English betera Old English *batiʀō Proto-West Germanic *batizô Proto-Germanic

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Describing Qualities

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# better

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** adj, adv, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈbɛt.əɹ/
**IPA (UK):** [ˈbɛtʰ.ə]
**Frequency rank:** 167

## Meanings
1. Of a higher quality or standard than something else.
2. In a more excellent or effective way.
3. Healthier or less ill than before.
4. To improve something or make it better.

## Examples
- This phone is better than my old one.
- She sings better than anyone in the choir.
- I felt much better after a good night's sleep.
- Their ideas for bettering the working conditions were well received.

## Derived Forms
- better-known
- better-paid
- betterable
- betterer
- betterfy
- betterhood
- betterish
- betterment
- betterness
- bettership
- bettersome
- embetter

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: better
- Root: betera
- Root: *batiʀō
- Root: *batizô

## Etymology
From Middle English better, bettre, betre, from Old English betera (“better”), from Proto-West Germanic *batiʀō, from Proto-Germanic *batizô (“better”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰed-rós, from *bʰed- (“good”). Cognate with Sanskrit भ॒द्र (bhadrá, “blessed; fortunate; happy; good”) (from *bʰn̥d-ró-s). For Germanic cognates: see Proto-Germanic *batizô. Related to best and battle (“getting better; improving; fruitful; fertile”). Compare also Icelandic batna (“to improve”), bót (“improvement”), German besser. More at batten, boot. False cognate of Persian بهتر (behtar).

## AI Etymology
Better comes from Middle English better, bettre, betre, from Old English betera (“better”), from Proto-West Germanic *batiʀō, from Proto-Germanic *batizô (“better”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰed-rós, from *bʰed- (“good”). Cognate with Sanskrit भ॒द्र (bhadrá, “blessed; fortunate; happy; good”) (from *bʰn̥d-ró-s). For Germanic cognates: see Proto-Germanic *batizô. Related to best and battle (“getting better; improving; fruitful; fertile”). Compare also Icelandic batna (“to improve”), bót (“improvement”), German besser. More at batten, boot. False cognate of Persian بهتر (behtar).

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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better

Meanings

Verb forms

Thesaurus

Appears in

Phrases (1)

Idioms (1)

Proverbs (60)

Tongue twisters (1)

Etymology

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