either

American  

[ee-ther, ahy-ther] / ˈi ðər, ˈaɪ ðər /

adjective

1. one or the other of two.

   You may sit at either end of the table.

2. each of two; the one and the other.

   There are trees on either side of the river.

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pronoun

1. one or the other.

   There are two roads into the town, and you can take either. Either will do.

conjunction

1. (a coordinating conjunction that, when preceding a word or statement followed by the disjunctive or, serves to emphasize the possibility of choice).

   Either come or write.

adverb

1. also; too; as well; to the same degree (used after negative clauses coordinated by and, or, or nor, or after negative subordinate clauses).

   He's not fond of parties, and I'm not either. If you don't come, she won't come either.

either British  

/ ˈaɪðə, ˈiːðə /

determiner

1. 1. one or the other (of two)

      either coat will do

   2. ( as pronoun )

      either is acceptable

2. both one and the other

   there were ladies at either end of the table

3. (coordinating) used preceding two or more possibilities joined by "or"

   you may have either cheese or a sweet

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adverb

1. (used with a negative) used to indicate that the clause immediately preceding is a partial reiteration of a previous clause

   John isn't a liar, but he isn't exactly honest either

Grammar

When the pronoun either is the subject and comes immediately before the verb, the verb is singular: Either is good enough. Either grows well in this soil. When either is followed by a prepositional phrase with a plural object, there is a tendency to use a plural verb, but a singular verb is more common: Either of them is (or are) good enough. Either of the shrubs grows (or grow) well in this soil. As an adjective either refers only to two of anything: either side of the river; using either hand. As a pronoun either sometimes occurs in reference to more than two ( either of the three children ), but any is more common in this construction ( any of the three children ). As a conjunction, either often introduces a series of more than two: The houses were finished with either cedar siding or stucco or brick. The pizza is topped with either anchovies, green peppers, or mushrooms. Usage guides say that the verb used with subjects joined by the correlative conjunctions either … or (or neither … nor ) is singular or plural depending on the number of the noun or pronoun nearer the verb: Either the parents or the school determines the program. Either the school or the parents determine the program. Practice in this matter varies, however, and often the presence of one plural, no matter what its position, results in a plural verb: Either the parents or the school determine the program. In carefully edited writing, these correlative conjunctions are usually placed so that what follows the first correlative is parallel to what follows the second: The damage was done by either the wind or vandals or either by the wind or by vandals (not done either by the wind or vandals). See also neither.

Pronunciation

The pronunciations and , with the vowel of see, are the usual ones in American English for the words either and neither. The pronunciations and , with the vowel of bite, occur occasionally for these words, chiefly in the speech of the educated and in the network standard English of radio and television. Both the and pronunciations existed in British English, and in the 19th century the came to predominate in standard British speech. In American English, therefore, it reflects a recent borrowing from British speech rather than a survival from the time of early settlement, influenced as well by the ei spelling, which is pronounced as in such words as height and stein.

Usage

Either is followed by a singular verb in good usage: either is good; either of these books is useful. Care should be taken to avoid ambiguity when using either to mean both or each, as in the following sentence: a ship could be moored on either side of the channel. Agreement between the verb and its subject in either…or… constructions follows the pattern given for neither…nor…

Etymology

Origin of either

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English ǣgther, contraction of ǣghwæther “each of two, both”; see ay ¹, whether

Explanation

Either usually signals a choice between two things. Either we go to the movies or the park: we can't do both. Either is used in many comparisons, as in: "I'm not young, but I'm not old either" or "I'm no Martha Stewart, but I'm not a slob either." A choice between two things is often called an either/or choice. You can vote for either the Republican candidate, the Democratic candidate, or an independent candidate. You can't vote for two of them or all three. When you see the word either, you're probably going to have to make a choice.

Example Sentences

Last fall, legislators in Sacramento expanded those protections by allowing pills to be mailed without either the doctor or the patient’s name attached.

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2026

Instead of intercontinental ballistic missiles, armored vehicles and other military hardware, parade goers were shown a video of that equipment, either in action in Ukraine or being tested for readiness.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

It would go too far to say that either side is winning or losing—but the odds are tipping, a little bit, in Kyiv’s favor.

From Slate • May 9, 2026

In the play, Caroline is no fan of Thatcher either, but she tells Brendan violence isn't the answer.

From BBC • May 8, 2026

“It’s that house there, on the right,” Zara says, pointing at a mansion-sized house at the end of a long driveway, flanked on either side by wrought iron light posts.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam