either
(adjective, pronoun)
LISTEN
Either choice has pros and cons.
Either means ‘one or the other.’
- You may have either cake or pie for dessert.
- They both look so good; either is fine with me.
- Either choose one or you'll get nothing!
Don't confuse it with
ether: an anesthetic that was once used for surgery.
Did you know?
Either and or often go together. For example: “You may have either an apple or an orange.” The negative equivalents are neither and nor. For example: “He likes neither apples nor oranges.”
In pop culture
The pronunciation of either depends on your regional accent. Did you know there’s a song about that topic? Watch Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers sing “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” in this scene from the movie Shall We Dance. Be sure to watch them tap dance on skates.
There are other meanings of either.
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