each other

American  

pronoun

1. each the other; one another (used as a compound reciprocal pronoun).

   to strike at each other; to hold each other's hands; to love each other.

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each other British  

pronoun

1. used when the action, attribution, etc, is reciprocal

   furious with each other

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each other Idioms  

1. Also, one another. Each one the other, one the other, as in The boys like each other, or The birds were fighting one another over the crumbs. Both of these phrases indicate a reciprocal relationship or action between the subjects preceding (the boys, the birds). Formerly, many authorities held that each other should be confined to a relationship between two subjects only and one another used when there are more than two. Today most do not subscribe to this distinction, which was never strictly observed anyway. [Late 1300s] Also see at each other's throats.

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Usage

Although some insist that each other be used only in reference to two ( The two candidates respected each other ) and one another in reference to three or more ( The three nations threaten one another ), in standard practice they are interchangeable. Each other is not restricted to two, nor is one another restricted to three or more. The possessive of each other is each other's; the possessive of one another is one another's.

Each other and one another are interchangeable in modern British usage

Etymology

Origin of each other

before 1000; Middle English; Old English. See each, other

Compare meaning

How does each-other compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• each other vs. one another

Example Sentences

Ortiz’s show premiering at the Joy Who Lived Festival revels in the unhinged and urges people to judge each other for past messes with the opportunity to redeem oneself through comedy.

From Los Angeles Times

For me, it was important to give us the rehearsal space, to experiment with the physicality of the space and how we relate to each other.

From Los Angeles Times

Smart and Deandre Ayton sit next to each other in the Lakers’ locker room and that has been a good thing for Ayton, who relies on Smart for his wisdom and guidance.

From Los Angeles Times

The friends quiz each other in a group chat before competitions.

From The Wall Street Journal

Pulling away from those possibilities to fight each other was random, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

From BBC

Related Words

• one