among

views updated May 17 2018

a·mong / əˈməng/ (chiefly Brit. also a·mongst / əˈməngst/ ) • prep. 1. surrounded by; in the company of: you're among friends.2. being a member or members of (a larger set): he was among the first 29 students enrolled.3. occurring in or practiced by (some members of a community): a drop in tooth decay among children. ∎  involving most or all members of a group reciprocally: members of the government bickered among themselves.4. indicating a division, choice, or differentiation involving three or more participants: the king called the three princesses to divide his kingdom among them.

among

views updated May 17 2018

among. OE. onġemang, -mong, i.e. ON, ġemang (cf. (ġe)mengan MINGLE), prop. a phr. used as a prep. with dative; later onmang, -mong, whence amang, among (cf. A-1). Extended with adv. -S to amonges (XIII), whence amongest, amongst (XVI); cf. AMIDST, AGAINST.

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