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Better

//ˈbɛt.ə// adj, adv, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Adjective

1
comparative form of good: more good comparative, form-of
"How are you? ~ A little better, thanks."
2
comparative form of well: more well comparative, form-of
3
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.”"
4
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."
5
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."

Adjective

1
(comparative and superlative of ‘well’) wiser or more advantageous and hence advisable wordnet
2
(comparative of ‘good’) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another wordnet
3
(comparative of ‘good’) changed for the better in health or fitness wordnet
4
more than half wordnet

Adverb

1
comparative form of well: more well comparative, form-of
"The engine runs better now that I've given it some oil."

Adverb

1
comparative of ‘well’; in a better or more excellent manner or more advantageously or attractively or to a greater degree etc. wordnet
2
from a position of superiority or authority wordnet

Noun

1
An entity, usually animate, deemed superior to another; one who has a claim to precedence; a superior.
"He quickly found Ali his better in the ring."
2
Alternative spelling of bettor. alt-of, alternative
3
something superior in quality or condition or effect wordnet
4
the superior one of two alternatives wordnet
5
a superior person having claim to precedence wordnet

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6
someone who bets wordnet

Verb

1
Had better. auxiliary, colloquial, modal
"It's getting late. You better get on home."
2
To improve. transitive
"This government will better our society."
3
get better wordnet
4
To become better; to improve. intransitive
5
to make better wordnet

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6
To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel. transitive
"The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered."
7
surpass in excellence wordnet
8
To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of. transitive
"Weapons more violent, when next we meet, / May serve to better us and worse our foes."

Etymology

Etymology 1

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 Sanskrit भद्र (bhadrá, “blessed, fortunate, happy, good”) (from *bʰn̥d-ró-s). For Germanic cognates: see Proto-Germanic *batizô. 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).

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

Etymology 4

Shortening of had better ('d better)

Etymology 5

From Middle English beteren, from Old English beterian, betrian, from Proto-Germanic *batizōną. Cognate with West Frisian betterje (“to better”), Dutch beteren (“to better”), German bessern (“to better”), Danish bedre (“to better”), Swedish bättra (“to better”).

Etymology 6

Alternative spelling of bettor or modern formation from the verb to bet + -er.

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