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neighbor

[ney-ber]
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noun
  1. a person who lives near another.
  2. a person or thing that is near another.
  3. one's fellow human being: to be generous toward one's less fortunate neighbors.
  4. a person who shows kindliness or helpfulness toward his or her fellow humans: to be a neighbor to someone 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.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to live or be situated near to; adjoin; border on.
  2. to place or bring near.
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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 by with).
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Also especially British, neigh·bour.

Origin of neighbor

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
Related formsneigh·bor·less, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for neighbour

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • "Then come and dine here," said Dick, unable to refuse a neighbour hospitality.

    Viviette

    William J. Locke

  • The khan asserted his loyalty and that of his neighbour the Khan of Jar.

  • "A fiddle's great value," John's neighbour whispered to him.

    The Foolish Lovers

    St. John G. Ervine

  • "About ten thousand," his neighbour answered, glancing at him quizzically.

    The Foolish Lovers

    St. John G. Ervine

  • After the good-night to my neighbour, I tumbled into my straw and slept soundly, animal-like.

    Green Mansions

    W. H. Hudson

British Dictionary definitions for neighbour

neighbour

US neighbor

noun
  1. a person who lives near or next to another
    1. a person or thing near or next to another
    2. (as modifier)neighbour states
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verb
  1. (when intr, often foll by on) to be or live close (to a person or thing)
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Derived Formsneighbouring or US neighboring, adjectiveneighbourless or US neighborless, adjective

Word Origin

Old English nēahbūr, from nēah nigh + būr, gebūr dweller; see boor
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for neighbour

chiefly British English spelling of neighbor (q.v.); for spelling, see -or.

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neighbor

n.

Old English neahgebur (West Saxon), nehebur (Anglian) "neighbor," from neah "near" (see nigh) + gebur "dweller," related to bur "dwelling" (see bower). Common Germanic compound (cf. Old Saxon nabur, Middle Dutch naghebuur, Dutch (na)bur, Old High German nahgibur, Middle High German nachgebur, German Nachbar). Good neighbor policy attested by 1937, but good neighbor with reference to U.S. policy toward Latin America was used by 1928 by Herbert Hoover.

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neighbor

v.

1580s, from neighbor (n.). Related: Neighbored; neighboring.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper