better en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈbɛt.əɹ/ rhotic
- [ˈbeɾ.ɐ] (New-Zealand)
- [ˈbɛʔ.ɐ] Dublin
- [ˈbeʔ.ə] UK, t-glottalization
- [ˈbɛtʰ.ɚ~ˈbɛθ̠.ɚ~ˈbɛt̪.ɚ] (Ireland)
- [ˈbɛʔ.ɚ~ˈbɛʔ.əɾ] (Scotland)
- (US) audio
- [ˈbɛtʰ.ə] (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈbɛt.ə/ non-rhotic
- [ˈbɛɾ.ɚ] (Canada, General-American)
- [ˈbeɾ.ə] (Australia)
Etymology
From Middle English better, bettre, betre, from Old English betera (“better”), from Proto-West Germanic *batiʀō, from Proto-Germanic *batizô (“better”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰed-rós, from *bʰed- (“good”). Cognate with Dutch beter, German besser, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål bedre, Norwegian Nynorsk betre, Swedish bättre, Faroese and Icelandic betri. Also Sanskrit भ॒द्र (bhadrá, “blessed; fortunate; happy; good”) (from *bʰn̥d-ró-s). Related to best and battle (“getting better; improving; fruitful; fertile”). Compare also Icelandic batna (“to improve”), bót (“improvement”), German besser. More at batten, boot. False cognate of Persian بهتر (behtar).
Meanings
-
(comparative, form-of) comparative degree of good and well
form of good and well
How are you? ~ A little better, thanks.
Badger: You think you're better than other people. Mal: Just the ones I'm better than.
2002 November 1, “Shindig”, in Firefly, episode 4:
-
Greater in amount or quantity
“The air was still with the lonely thrill of 'now the hour is near' And the smell of sweat was better yet than the awful stench of fear.”
1972, Harvey Andrews, Hey Sandy:
-
Greater or lesser (whichever is seen as more advantageous), in reference to value, distance, time, etc.
The top electric vehicles have a range of 300 kilometres or better.
Only one swimmer finished the race with a time better than two minutes.
-
Healed or recovered from an injury or illness.
We can't go to the zoo today because you're sick; let's go when you're all better.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| betterest | humorous | lexicographic | |
| betterer | Degree=Cmp | humorous | lexicographic |
| well | adverb | lexicographic | |
| best | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| good | Degree=Pos | lexicographic |
Deriveds
better angels of someone's nature · better than sex · the devil you know is better than the devil you don't · better to light one candle than to curse the darkness · better the devil you know than the devil you don't know · better off · the fewer the better fare · think better of · the devil we know is better than the devil we don't · better place · better one word in time than two afterwards · better is the enemy of good · embetter · half a loaf is better than no bread · better than a poke in the eye with a shitty stick · two heads are better than one · discretion is the better part of valour · it's better to be judged by twelve than to be carried by six · better Dead than Red · better angels · for better or worse · better to be late than be dead on time · better than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick · build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door · better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness · the devil we know is better than the devil we don't know · I couldn't have said it better myself · strictly better · prevention is better than cure · for the better · better the devil you know than the one you don't know · better nature · better-known · bettership · do someone one better · better angels of one's nature · better known as · better than nothing · an ounce of prevention is better than an ounce of cure · against one's better judgment · better the devil you know than the one you don't · better and better · half a loaf is better than no loaf · go one better · get better · know any better · better an egg today than a hen tomorrow · better safe than sorry · it is better to travel hopefully than to arrive · build a better mousetrap · discretion is the better part of valor · better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick · better dead than Red · better the devil you know than the devil you don't · no better than one ought to be · better luck next time · for better or for worse · so much the better · bettersome · make a better door than a window · better to light a candle than to curse the darkness · all to the better · betterhood · better part of · better late than never · work better under pressure · better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness · the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know · are you feeling better · something is better than nothing · the better is the enemy of the good · better than a poke in the eye · better light · take a turn for the better · know better · an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure · better half · it's better to ask forgiveness than permission · you better believe it · better dead than red · betterish · half a loaf is better than none · betterness · better than a kick in the teeth · betterfy · have seen better days · the grey mare is the better horse · better ball · better for it · better than a poke in the eye with a rusty nail · better-paid
Descendants
Translations (110)
ja より良い (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · oc melhor (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · kix tǖmêi (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · krl parempi (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · jam beta (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · fa بختر (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · rsk лєпши (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ja もっといい (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · be ле́пшы (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · el καλύτερος (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ms lebih bagus (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · fa بِهتَر (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · hi बेहतर (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · vi khá hơn (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ka უმჯობესი (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · nrf miyeu (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · th ดีกว่า (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · kw gwell (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · nl beter (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · fr meilleur (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · srn betre (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · sw bora (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ko 더 좋은 (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ca millor (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ast meyor (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · vi tốt hơn (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · la potior (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ka უკეთესი (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · gl mellor (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · sa श्रेयस् (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · vec mejo (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · nb bedre (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · da bedre (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · sc megnus (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · sh бо̏ље̄ (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · et parem (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ro mai bun (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · wa meyeu (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · io plu bona (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ms lebih baik (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · sc mellus (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ru лу́чше (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · tr daha iyi (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · grc βέλτερος (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · br gwelloc'h (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ru лу́чший (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ang betera (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · fo betri (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ro mai bine (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · br gwell (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · io maxim (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · cmn 更好 (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · sv bättre (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · cmn 比較好的 /比较好的 (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · grc βελτίων (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · vi khoẻ hơn (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · yi בעסער (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · got 𐌱𐌰𐍄𐌹𐌶𐌰 (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · nn betre (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · it meglio (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · cmn 較好的 /较好的 (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · la melior (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · id lebih baik (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · hy ավելի լավ (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · es mejor (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · bn আরও ভাল (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ur بہتر (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · pdt bäta (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ia melior (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · sl bóljši (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · hu jobb (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · uk лі́пший (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · sah бэт (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · fi parempi (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · eo pli bona (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · mk подобар (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · bn আফজল (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · vo gudikum (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · scn megghiu (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · uk кра́щий (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · grc καλλίων (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · rm meglier (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · avd ودرتر (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · nap meglio (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · is betri (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · sh bolji (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · de besser (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ar أَفْضَل (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · cy gwell (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · cs lepší (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · lld miec (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · vep paremba (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · grc κρείσσων (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · fur miôr (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · eu hobe (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · sd بِهتَر (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · sk lepší (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · rom feder (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · pt melhor (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ar أَحْسَن (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · vro parõmb (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · bg по-добър (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · sh bȍljē (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · as -কৈ ভাল (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · ga níos fearr (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · gd nas fheàrr (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · sc meglius (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · kmr baştir (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · it migliore (comparative of the adjectives good or well) · pl lepszy (comparative of the adjectives good or well)