Skip to the word

Added 8 October 2026

near

/nɪə/ adjective

In Latin: propinquus, proximus Wiktionary

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

Physically close.
I can't see near objects very clearly without my glasses.
Close in time.
The end is near.
Closely connected or related.
The deceased man had no near relatives.

adverb

At or towards a position close in space or time. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
Nearly; almost.
He was near unconscious when I found him.

preposition

Physically close to, in close proximity to.
There are habitable planets orbiting many of the stars near our Sun.
Close to in time.
The voyage was near completion.
Close to in nature or degree.
His opinions are near the limit of what is acceptable.

verb

To come closer to; to approach.
The ship nears the land.

Origin

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”).

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

Back to today's word