or
Or is defined as another option or something that means the same thing.
(conjunction)- An example of or is saying we can go to one of two places, home or store.
- An example of or is saying that cat means the same thing as feline, cat or feline.
See or in Webster's New World College Dictionary
conjunction
- introducing the second of two possibilities: beer or wine
- introducing any of the possibilities in a series, but usually used only before the last: apples or pears or plums; apples, pears, or plums
- introducing a synonymous word or phrase: botany, or the science of plants
- introducing the second of two possibilities when the first is introduced by either or whether: either go or stay; decide whether to go or stay
- Old Poet. substituted for either or whether as the first correlative: “or in the heart or in the head”
Origin: ME, in form a contr. of other, auther, either, but actually < OE oththe (in āther ... oththe, either ... or)
conjunction,
Origin: ME < OE ār, var. of ær, ere: see ere
noun
Origin: Fr < L aurum, gold: for IE base see east
- operating room
- Oregon
Origin: ME -our < OFr -our, -or, -eur < L -or, -ator
a person or thing that (does a specified thing): mortgagor, incisorOrigin: ME -our < OFr < L -or
quality or condition: favor, error
See or in American Heritage Dictionary 4
conjunction
- a. Used to indicate an alternative, usually only before the last term of a series: hot or cold; this, that, or the other.b. Used to indicate the second of two alternatives, the first being preceded by either or whether: Your answer is either ingenious or wrong. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.c. Archaic Used to indicate the first of two alternatives, with the force of either or whether.
- Used to indicate a synonymous or equivalent expression: acrophobia, or fear of great heights.
- Used to indicate uncertainty or indefiniteness: two or three.
Origin:
Origin: Middle English
Origin: , from other, or (from Old English, from oththe)
Origin: and from outher (from Old English āhwǽther, āther; see either)
. Usage Note: When all the elements in a series connected by or are singular, the verb they govern is singular: Tom or Jack is coming. Beer, ale, or wine is included in the charge. When all the elements are plural, the verb is plural. When the elements do not agree in number, some grammarians have suggested that the verb should agree in number with the nearest element: Tom or his sisters are coming. The girls or their brother is coming. Cold symptoms or headache is the usual first sign. Other grammarians, however, have argued that such constructions are inherently illogical and that the only solution is to revise the sentence to avoid the problem of agreement: Either Tom is coming or his sisters are. The usual first sign may be either cold symptoms or a headache. See Usage Notes at and/or, either, neither, nor1.conjunction
Origin:
Origin: Middle English
Origin: , variant of er
Origin: , from Old English ǣr, soon, early
Origin: , and from Old Norse ār; see ayer- in Indo-European roots
.noun
Heraldry
Origin:
Origin: Middle English
Origin: , from Old French
Origin: , from Latin aurum
.noun
- operating room
- operations research
- Oregon
- owner's risk
Origin:
Origin: Middle English -or, -our
Origin: , from Old French -eor, -eur
Origin: and Anglo-Norman -our, -ur
Origin: , all from Latin -or, -ōr-
.Origin:
Origin: Middle English -our
Origin: , from Old French -eur
Origin: , from Latin -or, -ōr-
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