definitions

nor

[ nawr; unstressed ner ]
/ nɔr; unstressed nər /
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR nor ON THESAURUS.COM

conjunction

(used in negative phrases, especially after neither, to introduce the second member in a series, or any subsequent member): Neither he nor I will be there. They won't wait for you, nor for me, nor for anybody.
(used to continue the force of a negative, as not, no, never, etc., occurring in a preceding clause): He left and I never saw him again, nor did I regret it.
(used after an affirmative clause, or as a continuative, in the sense of and not): They are happy, nor need we worry.
Older Use. than.
Archaic. (used without a preceding neither, the negative force of which is understood): He nor I was there.
Archaic. (used instead of neither as correlative to a following nor): Nor he nor I was there.

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RELATED WORDS

neither

Nearby words

nop, nopal, nope, noplace, nopo, nor, nor circuit, nor gate, nor'easter, nor'wester, nor-

Origin of nor

1300–50; Middle English, contraction of nother, Old English nōther, equivalent to ne not + ōther (contraction of ōhwæther) either; cf. or1

Can be confused

and and/or nor or (see usage note at and) (see usage note at and/or)

Usage note

See neither.

Definition for nor (2 of 5)

NOR

[ nawr ]
/ nɔr /

noun

a Boolean operator that returns a positive result when both operands are negative.

Origin of NOR

1955–60

Definition for nor (3 of 5)

nor.

north.
northern.

Definition for nor (4 of 5)

Nor.

Norman.
North.
Northern.
Norway.
Norwegian.

Definition for nor (5 of 5)

nor-

a combining form used in the names of chemical compounds which are the normal or parent forms of the compound denoted by the base words: l-norepinephrine.

Origin of nor-

short for normal
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for nor (1 of 2)

nor

/ (nɔː, unstressed nə) /

conjunction, preposition (coordinating)

neither ... nor (used to join alternatives) and notneither measles nor mumps
(foll by an auxiliary verb or have, do, or be used as main verbs) (and) not … eitherthey weren't talented — nor were they particularly funny
dialect thanbetter nor me
poetic neithernor wind nor rain

Word Origin for nor

C13: contraction of Old English nōther, from nāhwæther neither

British Dictionary definitions for nor (2 of 2)

nor-

combining form

indicating that a chemical compound is derived from a specified compound by removal of a group or groupsnoradrenaline
indicating that a chemical compound is a normal isomer of a specified compound

Word Origin for nor-

by shortening from normal
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

Medicine definitions for nor

nor-

pref.

A precursor compound that differs from its successor by the absence of a radical group, usually methyl:norepinephrine.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Idioms and Phrases with nor

nor

see hide nor hair; neither fish nor fowl; neither here nor there; rhyme or reason (neither rhyme nor reason).

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.