near

Meaning

1. Physically close.
2. Close in time.
3. Closely connected or related.
4. Close to one's interests, affection, etc.; intimate; dear.
5. Close to anything followed or imitated; not free, loose, or rambling.
6. So as barely to avoid or pass injury or loss; close; narrow.
7. Approximate, almost.
8. On the side nearest to the kerb (the left-hand side if one drives on the left).
9. Next to the driver, when he is on foot; (US) on the left of an animal or a team.
10. (obsolete) Immediate; direct; close; short.
11. Stingy; parsimonious.
12. Within the currently selected segment in a segmented memory architecture.

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/nɪə̯(ɹ)/

Etymology

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”). Cognate with Old Frisian niār (“nearer”), Dutch naar (“to, towards”), German näher (“nearer”), Danish nær (“near, close”), Norwegian nær (“near, close”) Swedish nära (“near, close”). See also nigh. Near appears to be derived from (or at the very least influenced by) the North Germanic languages; compare Danish nær (“near, close”), Norwegian nær (“near, close”) Swedish nära (“near, close”), as opposed to nigh, which continues the inherited West Germanic adjective, like Dutch na (“close, near”), German nah (“close, near, nearby”), Luxembourgish no (“nearby, near, close”). Both, however, are ultimately derived from the same Proto-Germanic root: *nēhw (“near, close”).