nor
[ nawr; unstressed ner ]
/ nɔr; unstressed nər /
conjunction
(used in negative phrases, especially after neither, to introduce the second member in a series, or any subsequent member): Neither he nor I will be there. They won't wait for you, nor for me, nor for anybody.
(used to continue the force of a negative, as not, no, never, etc., occurring in a preceding clause): He left and I never saw him again, nor did I regret it.
(used after an affirmative clause, or as a continuative, in the sense of and not): They are happy, nor need we worry.
Older Use.
than.
Archaic.
(used without a preceding neither, the negative force of which is understood): He nor I was there.
Archaic.
(used instead of neither as correlative to a following nor): Nor he nor I was there.
Origin of nor
1300–50; Middle English, contraction of
nother, Old English
nōther, equivalent to
ne not +
ōther (contraction of
ōhwæther) either; cf.
or1
usage note for nor
See
neither.
Words nearby nor
Definition for nor (2 of 5)
NOR
[ nawr ]
/ nɔr /
noun
a Boolean operator that returns a positive result when both operands are negative.
Origin of NOR
1955–60
Definition for nor (3 of 5)
Definition for nor (4 of 5)
Definition for nor (5 of 5)
nor-
a combining form used in the names of chemical compounds which are the normal or parent forms of the compound denoted by the base words: l-norepinephrine.
Origin of nor-
short for
normal
British Dictionary definitions for nor (1 of 2)
nor
/ (nɔː, unstressed nə) /
conjunction, preposition (coordinating)
neither ... nor (used to join alternatives)
and not
neither measles nor mumps
(foll by an auxiliary verb or have, do, or be used as main verbs)
(and) not … either
they weren't talented — nor were they particularly funny
dialect
than
better nor me
poetic
neither
nor wind nor rain
Word Origin for nor
C13: contraction of Old English
nōther, from
nāhwæther
neither
British Dictionary definitions for nor (2 of 2)
nor-
combining form
indicating that a chemical compound is derived from a specified compound by removal of a group or groups
noradrenaline
indicating that a chemical compound is a normal isomer of a specified compound
Word Origin for nor-
by shortening from
normal
Medical definitions for nor
nor-
pref.
A precursor compound that differs from its successor by the absence of a radical group, usually methyl:norepinephrine.
Idioms and Phrases with nor
nor
see hide nor hair; neither fish nor fowl; neither here nor there; rhyme or reason (neither rhyme nor reason).