both Meaning & Definition
What Does Both Mean?
Both is a determiner that means Each of the two; one and the other; referring to two individuals or items. As a pronoun, it means Each of the two, or of the two kinds. As a conjunction, it means Including both of (used with and).
Both Definition (Determiner)
- Each of the two; one and the other; referring to two individuals or items.
Both (the/my) children are such dolls.
Both as a Pronoun
- Each of the two, or of the two kinds.
Did you want this one or that one? ―Give me both.
Both as a Conjunction
- Including both of (used with and).
I (can) both sing and dance.
- Including all of (used with and).
Synonyms of Both
The source does not list synonyms for this entry.
Both synonyms and antonyms →Both in a Sentence
Both (the/my) children are such dolls.
Which one do you need? ―I need both of them.
Did you want this one or that one? ―Give me both.
They were both here.
I've already lost both (of) my parents.
I (can) both sing and dance.
Both you and I are students.
"Did you want this one or that one?" — "Give me both."
Word Forms & Grammar
both
Words That Rhyme With Both
Origin of Both
From Middle English bothe, boþe, from Old English bā þā (“both the; both those”) and possibly reinforced by Old Norse báðir, from Proto-Germanic *bai. Cognate with Saterland Frisian bee (“both”), West Frisian beide (“both”), Dutch beide (“both”), German beide (“both”), Swedish både, båda, Danish både, Norwegian både, Icelandic báðir. Replaced Middle English bō, from Old English bā, a form of Old English bēġen. A remnant of the Indo-European dual grammatical number.