both

American  

[bohth] / boʊθ /

adjective

1. one and the other; two together.

   He met both sisters. Both performances were canceled.

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pronoun

1. the one as well as the other.

   Both of us were going to the party.

conjunction

1. alike; equally.

   He is both ready and willing.

both British  

/ bəʊθ /

determiner

1. 1. the two; two considered together

      both dogs were dirty

   2. ( as pronoun )

      both are to blame

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conjunction

1. (coordinating) used preceding words, phrases, or clauses joined by and , used to emphasize that not just one, but also the other of the joined elements is included

   both Ellen and Keith enjoyed the play

   both new and exciting

both Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing both

• best of both worlds
• burn the candle at both ends
• cut both ways
• foot in both camps
• have it both ways
• play both ends against the middle
• work both sides of the street

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Etymology

Origin of both

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English bothe, bathe, Old English bā thā “both the, both those”; cognate with German, Dutch beide, Old High German bêde; akin to Latin ambō, Greek ámphō, Lithuanian abù, Sanskrit ubháu

Explanation

When you're talking about two things that go together, use the adjective both. If you put on both of your boots, you are wearing the left one and the right one. When you use the word both, you're always talking about two of something. If you say you're having dinner with both of your brothers this weekend, it means you have two brothers. When you call both of your dogs to come inside, it's clear you've got two dogs. There are a few theories about the origin of both, including the Old English word begen, "both," and the the Old Norse baðir, also "both."

Example Sentences

Using both human brain tissue and mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, the ETH Zurich team uncovered evidence that GRK2 may be a major contributor to dementia.

From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026

In both residential areas, the tragedies were met with an outpouring of shock, grief and demands for answers.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

He said the conversations with Bishop McClay happened over the course of two meetings in October 2020, and he said he declined on both occasions.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

But regardless of whether such change is possible, both scenarios assume that the past and future are there and ready to be travelled to.

From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026

We both roll our eyes at how needlessly dramatic we were being.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold