else

[els]

adjective

1. other than the persons or things mentioned or implied.

   What else could I have done?

2. in addition to the persons or things mentioned or implied.

   Who else was there?

3. other or in addition (used in the possessive following an indefinite pronoun).

   someone else's money.

adverb

1. if not (usually preceded byor ).

   It's a macaw, or else I don't know birds.

2. in some other way; otherwise.

   How else could I have acted?

3. at some other place or time.

   Where else might I find this book?

else

/ ɛls /

determiner

1. in addition; more

   there is nobody else here

2. other; different

   where else could he be?

adverb

1. 1. if not, then

      go away or else I won't finish my work today

   2. or something terrible will result: used as a threat

      sit down, or else!

Grammar Note

The possessive forms of somebody else, everybody else, etc., are somebody else's, everybody else's, the forms somebody's else, everybody's else being considered nonstandard in present-day English. One exception is the possessive for who else, which is occasionally formed as whose else when a noun does not immediately follow: Is this book yours? Whose else could it be? No, it's somebody else's.

Word History and Origins

Origin of else¹

before 1000; Middle English, Old English elles (cognate with Old High German elles ), equivalent to ell- other (cognate with Gothic aljis, Latin alius, Old Irish aile Greek állos, Armenian ayl other; eldritch ) + -es -s 1

Word History and Origins

Origin of else¹

Old English elles, genitive of el- strange, foreign; related to Old High German eli- other, Gothic alja, Latin alius, Greek allos

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. or else, or suffer the consequences.

   Do what I say, or else.

see in someone's (else's) shoes; or else; something else; something else again.

Example Sentences

"We are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident," a spokesperson said.

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She sold the house to someone else, but under the rules of auctions, Miles still owes her the money.

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“From the time we announced we had these baseballs until now, no one else has come forward and said they have the balls. There’s been no contention.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“I love my work, but my top priority is to raise my children, and that cannot be outsourced to someone else for eight hours a day, five days a week,” said Waters.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"I hope it never happens to anyone else. I left my country because I did not feel secure, and now I do not feel secure here," says Amir.

Read more on BBC