wider

See also: wider-

English

Etymology

From Middle English widder, widdur, widere, from Old English widdra; equivalent to wide +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈwaɪdɚ/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈwaɪdə/
  • Rhymes: -aɪdə(ɹ)

Adjective

wider

  1. comparative form of wide: more wide

Adverb

wider

  1. comparative form of wide: more wide

Anagrams

German

Etymology

From Middle High German wider, from Old High German widar, from Proto-West Germanic *wiþr, from Proto-Germanic *wiþrą (against, toward). The same word as wieder (again) with artificial orthographic distinction. Hence cognate with Dutch weer, English wither.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈviːdər/, [ˈviːdɐ], [ˈʋiːdɐ]
  • Audio:(file)
  • Homophone: wieder

Preposition

wider [with accusative]

  1. (formal, literary) against
    Synonym: gegen

Usage notes

  • In contemporary German, wider is found in compounds (see wider-) and otherwise mainly in a few set phrases. Due to its rarity it is sometimes hypercorrectly construed with the genitive case; thus instead of wider besseres Wissen (against one's better knowledge) one will sometimes read or hear wider besseren Wissens.

Derived terms

Further reading

  • wider” in Duden online
  • wider” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache