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 THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH nor

and and/or nor or (see usage note at and) (see usage note at and/or)

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 ) /

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).