neighbor

American  

[ney-ber] / ˈneɪ bər /

especially British, neighbour

noun

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

• neighborless adjective

Etymology

Origin of neighbor

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

Example Sentences

“It doesn’t matter what party governs,” a neighbor told her as they stood around on the sidewalk, escaping the darkness of their homes as the blackout stretched on.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026

For a while, they thought maybe their new neighbor just had a soft touch, and a large heart.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

That atom then stabilizes itself by pulling an electron from a nearby atom, while the released energy ionizes a third neighbor.

From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026

The example set by the people of Ukraine in holding off an invasion by its much larger neighbor, Russia, has also been taken as an inspiration.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

It’s something you would say to a neighbor you barely know, not your own children.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Related Words

• acquaintance
• friend