or

\ ər, ˈȯr

, Southern also ˈär \

Definition of or

(Entry 1 of 8)

1 —used as a function word to indicate an alternativecoffee or teasink or swim , the equivalent or substitutive character of two words or phraseslessen or abate , or approximation or uncertaintyin five or six days

2 archaic : either

3 archaic : whether

4 —used in logic as a sentential connective that forms a complex sentence which is true when at least one of its constituent sentences is true — compare disjunction

preposition

Definition of or (Entry 2 of 8)

archaic

: before

conjunction (2)

Definition of or (Entry 3 of 8)

archaic

: before

noun (1)

\ ˈȯr

Definition of or (Entry 4 of 8)

: the heraldic color gold or yellow

noun (2)

\ ˈȯr

Definition of OR (Entry 5 of 8)

: a logical operator that requires at least one of two inputs to be present or conditions to be met for an output to be made or a statement to be executed OR gate in a computer

abbreviation

Definition of OR (Entry 6 of 8)

1 operating room

2 operational research; operations research

3 Oregon

4 owner's risk

5 own recognizance

-or

noun suffix (1)

Definition of -or (Entry 7 of 8)

: one that does a (specified) thing grantor

-or

noun suffix (2)

Definition of -or (Entry 8 of 8)

: condition : activity demeanor

History and Etymology for or

Conjunction (1) and Noun (2)

Middle English, alteration of other, alteration of Old English oththe; akin to Old High German eddo or

Preposition

Middle English, from or, adverb, early, before, from Old Norse ār; akin to Old English ǣr early — more at ere

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, gold, from Latin aurum — more at aureus

Noun suffix (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French -ur, -our, -eour & Latin -or; Anglo-French -ur, -our, from Latin -or; Anglo-French -eour, from Latin -ator, from -a-, verb stem + -tor, agent suffix; akin to Greek -tōr, agent suffix, Sanskrit -tā

Noun suffix (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin

Keep scrolling for more