English

rather

/ˈɹɑː.ðə(ɹ)/
Used to specify a choice or preference; preferably, in preference to. (Now usually followed by than)

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    Origin

    From Middle English rather, from Old English hraþor, comparative of hraþe (“soon, early, fast”). More at rathe. Cognate with Dutch radder (“faster”), comparative of Dutch rad (“fast; quick”), German Low German radd, ratt (“rashly; quickly; hastily”), German gerade (“even; straight; direct”). By surface analysis, rathe + -er.

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • inheritedMiddle Englishrather
      • inheritedOld Englishhraþor

    Related: Dutch radder, Dutch rad, German Low German radd, German gerade

    Sources