Added 9 October 2026
ever
/ˈɛvə(ɹ)/ adverb
In Latin: semper Wiktionary
adverb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about ever at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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At any time.
did you ever smoke?
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At all times; all the time and on every occasion.
I will always be there to help you
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(intensifier for adjectives) very.
she was ever so friendly
Origin
From Middle English ever, from Old English ǣfre, originally a phrase whose first element undoubtedly consists of Old English ā (“ever, always”) + in (“in”) + an element possibly from feorh (“life, existence”) (dative fēore). Compare Old English ā tō fēore (“ever in life”), Old English feorhlīf (“life”) from feorh (“life”) + līf (“life”). Sense 5 of the adverb was likely formed by association with never, which also carries the meaning of did not in colloquial Singaporean and Malaysian English. Also, compare Chinese 有 … 過 /有 … 过 (yǒu ... guò / jau⁵ ... gwo³, “has […] before”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)