every

Meanings

1. 1
   det

   All of a countable group (considered individually), without exception.

   Every person in the room stood and cheered.

2. 2
   det

   Denotes equal spacing at a stated interval, or a proportion corresponding to such a spacing.

   We stopped for refreshments every ten miles.

3. 3
   det

   Denotes an abundance of something.

   We wish you every happiness in the future.

4. 4
   adj

   (used of count nouns) each and all of the members of a group considered singly and without exception

5. 5
   adj

   each and all of a series of entities or intervals as specified

6. 6
   name

   A surname.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English every, everich, eaver-euch, averiche, aver alche, ever ælche, from Old English ǣfre ǣlċ, ǣfre ǣġhwelċ (“each and every”). By surface analysis, ever + each or ever + which.