or — used to link alternatives
Part of speech: CONJUNCTION
Definition: used to link alternatives
Pronunciation (IPA): /ɔːr/
Example Sentences
- Would you like pizza or hamburger for dinner?
- Study hard or you'll fail the exam!
- I need five or six apples for the pie.
or
CONJUNCTION[/ɔːr/]
used to link alternatives
a young girl points back and forth between two large ice cream scoops held by the shopkeeper. She looks up with a thoughtful expression while the shopkeeper patiently holds chocolate ice cream in one hand and strawberry in the other. The girl's finger moves between the two options as she considers her decision. Her parents wait behind her while other customers smile at her careful deliberation. the act of choosing between two alternatives linked together as options
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word 'or' is a contracted form derived from Middle English 'other,' which originally meant 'another thing' or 'something else.' This reduction reflects the natural phonetic simplification that occurred in Middle English as the language evolved.
Breakdown
other (Middle English) → or (abbreviated form). The word represents a phonetic reduction where the unstressed syllables of 'other' were contracted to form the modern conjunction 'or.'
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Would you like pizza or hamburger for dinner?”
“Study hard or you'll fail the exam!”
“I need five or six apples for the pie.”
“Clean your room or no video games for a week!”
📚Related Words
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