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Added 10 October 2026

either

/ˈaɪ.ðə/ determiner

In Latin: alteruter Wiktionary

determiner Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about either at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Any one (of two).
You can have it in either colour.
Each of two; both. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
There is a locomotive at either end of the train, one pulling and the other pushing.
Any one (of more than two).

pronoun

One or the other of two people or things.
He made me two offers, but I did not accept either.
Both, each of two or more.

adverb

As well.
I don't like him, and I don't like her either.

conjunction

Introduces the first of two (or occasionally more) options or possibilities, the second (or last) of which is introduced by "or".
Either you eat your dinner or you go to your room.

Origin

From Middle English either, from Old English ǣġhwæþer, from Proto-West Germanic *aiw + *gahwaþar. Akin to Old Saxon eogihwethar, iahwethar (Low German jeed); Old Dutch *iogewether, *iowether, *iother (Dutch ieder); Old High German eogihwedar, iegihweder, ieweder (German jeder). The pronunciations with /iː/ and /eɪ/ respectively reflect Middle English forms in /ɛː/ and /æi/; the origin of that with /aɪ/ is less clear, but it may reflect a Middle English form with /iː/; see Middle English either for more discussion.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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