neighbor

American  

[ney-ber] / ˈneɪ bər /

especially British, neighbour

noun

• neighbors
  plural

1. 

   a person who lives near another.

   My next door neighbor has an orange cat.

2. a person or thing that is near another.

3. one's fellow human being.

   You must be generous toward your less fortunate neighbors.

4. a person who shows kindliness or helpfulness toward others.

   She's always a neighbor to people in distress.

5. (used as a term of address, especially as a friendly greeting to a stranger).

   Tell me, neighbor, which way to town?

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adjective

1. situated or living near another.

   One of our neighbor nations is in need of aid.

verb (used with object)

1. to live or be situated near to; adjoin; border on.

   Germany neighbors Denmark.

2. to place or bring near.

verb (used without object)

1. to live or be situated nearby.

2. to associate with or as if with one's neighbors; be neighborly or friendly (often followed bywith ).

Usage

Spelling tips for neighbor The word neighbor is hard to spell because it is spelled differently from the way it is pronounced [ ney-ber ]. To make it even more confusing, neighbor is the American English spelling of the word. In British English, it is spelled with a u: neighbour. How to spell neighbor: The easiest way to remember how to spell neighbor is with the classic mnemonic device: I before E, except after C, except when it's EIGH [ ey ], as in neighbor or weigh.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• neighborless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• neighbors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of neighbor

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English neahgebūr, nēahbūr ( nēah nigh + (ge)būr “farmer”; see Boer, boor); akin to Dutch nabuur, German Nachbar, Old Norse nābūi

Explanation

A neighbor is a nearby person or thing. Be kind to your neighbor, for you never know when you will need to borrow sugar, a shovel, or the spare key to your house. The noun neighbor, spelled neahgebur in Old English, translates to “near” “dweller” when broken down into its individual parts. It makes sense, then, that neighbor refers to a nearby person, place, or thing. “It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose yours,” quipped Harry S. Truman, the 33rd American president.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

neighbor neighbors

Hundreds of Iranian truck drivers are currently stuck at Iran’s border with Pakistan, unable to send their goods into Tehran’s neighbor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

End the day with some wordplay: What’s an 11-letter word for “Hogs”? And what’s a three-letter word for a “Hog’s neighbor, maybe”? Play today’s crossword for some clever clues and interesting trivia tidbits.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

“It’s a cat on a leash!” an unfamiliar neighbor exclaimed recently, stooping to pet him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

Although Carney is backed by Canadian public opinion, his country remains reliant on its neighbor.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

“You know my dad, Tom, and that’s my neighbor, Mr. Patterson,” I said, pointing to them at the edge of the rocks.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

We were friendly with our neighbors for decades, until recently.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026

De Anda’s neighbors recalled hearing — and reporting to local authorities — barking and foul smells from the property, the Times reported in March.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

"If you get a lot of ice floes together in the same place with some wind, they bump into each other and transfer energy to neighbors," Rallabandi said.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026

"To our American friends, let me say this: We will always be neighbors, and Canada will continue to be the US's most important partner in many key areas," he said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026

At least a dozen of the Fox family’s neighbors remained crammed in the house, asking questions and receiving rapped answers.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

• acquaintance
• friend