Main Entry:

¹nei·ther

Pronunciation:

\ˈnē-thər also ˈnī-\

Function:

conjunction

Etymology:

Middle English, alteration (influenced by either) of nauther, nother, from Old English nāhwæther, nōther, from nā, nō not + hwæther which of two, whether

Date:

12th century

1 : not either <neither black nor white> 2 : also not <neither did I>

usage Although use with or is neither archaic nor wrong, neither is usually followed by nor. A few commentators think that neither must be limited in reference to two, but reference to more than two has been quite common since the 17th century <rigid enforcement of antique decorum will help neither language, literature, nor literati — James Sledd>.