near

A1 Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /nɪɚ/ UK /nɪə/ See IPA manual

Freq #792

Meanings

1

prep
A short distance from someone or something.

There is a bus stop near my house.
2

adv
Only a short distance away in space or time.

The summer holidays are drawing near.
3

adj
Only a short distance away.

The nearest shop is a mile away.
4

adj
Closely related to you.

Only near relatives came to the small wedding.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 prep · a short distance from... close to

2 adv · only a short distance away... close nigh

3 adj · only a short distance away. close

More citeriorimmediate nearby presentpropinquitousproximate

Opposites

distant off

Word family

Forms nearednearernearestnearingnears

Derived forms near-antonymnear-earthnear-fallnear-nativenear-sightednear-surfacenear-syncopenearablenearaboutnearaboutsnearboutnearby

Related forms modicum next

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

near gale
a wind of force seven on the Beaufort scale

Adjective + noun

Proverbs (3)

See all

Etymology

From Middle English nere, ner, from Old English nēar (“nearer”, comparative of nēah (“nigh”), the superlative would become next), influenced by Old Norse nær (“near”), both originating from Proto-Germanic *nēhwiz (“nearer”), comparative of the adverb *nēhw (“near”), from the adjective *nēhwaz, ultimately from Pre-Proto-Germanic *h₂nḗḱwos, a lengthened-grade adjective derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ- (“to reach”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian nai, noi, näi (“close, near”), Saterland Frisian nai (“close, near”), Dutch na (“close”), naar (“to, towards”), Dutch Low Saxon nao (“after…

nere Middle English nēar Old English nær Old Norse *nēhwiz Proto-Germanic *h₂neḱ- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Space, Position & Direction

External links

# near

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** prep, adv, adj
**IPA (US):** /nɪɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /nɪə/
**Frequency rank:** 792

## Meanings
1. A short distance from someone or something.
2. Only a short distance away in space or time.
3. Only a short distance away.
4. Closely related to you.

## Examples
- There is a bus stop near my house.
- The summer holidays are drawing near.
- The nearest shop is a mile away.
- Only near relatives came to the small wedding.

## Synonyms
- citerior
- close
- immediate
- nearby
- present
- propinquitous
- proximate

## Antonyms
- distant
- off

## Derived Forms
- near-antonym
- near-earth
- near-fall
- near-native
- near-sighted
- near-surface
- near-syncope
- nearable
- nearabout
- nearabouts
- nearbout
- nearby

## Related Forms
- modicum
- next

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: nere
- Root: nēar
- Root: nær
- Root: *nēhwiz
- Root: *h₂neḱ-

## Etymology
From Middle English nere, ner, from Old English nēar (“nearer”, comparative of nēah (“nigh”), the superlative would become next), influenced by Old Norse nær (“near”), both originating from Proto-Germanic *nēhwiz (“nearer”), comparative of the adverb *nēhw (“near”), from the adjective *nēhwaz, ultimately from Pre-Proto-Germanic *h₂nḗḱwos, a lengthened-grade adjective derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ- (“to reach”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian nai, noi, näi (“close, near”), Saterland Frisian nai (“close, near”), Dutch na (“close”), naar (“to, towards”), Dutch Low Saxon nao (“after…

## AI Etymology
Near comes from Middle English nere, ner, from Old English nēar (“nearer”, comparative of nēah (“nigh”), the superlative would become next), influenced by Old Norse nær (“near”), both originating from Proto-Germanic *nēhwiz (“nearer”), comparative of the adverb *nēhw (“near”), from the adjective *nēhwaz, ultimately from Pre-Proto-Germanic *h₂nḗḱwos, a lengthened-grade adjective derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ- (“to reach”). In present-day English its meanings include a short distance from someone or something, only a short distance away in space or time, and only a short distance away. The historical chain runs through nere (Middle English), nēar (Old English), nær (Old Norse), *nēhwiz (Proto-Germanic), and *h₂neḱ- (Proto-Indo-European).

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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