Definition
adjcomparative form of good: more good
adjcomparative degree of good and well
Sentence Examples
You're in better shape than I am.
I have nothing better to do.
We're hoping for better weather tomorrow.
Word Origin & History
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 Dutch beter, German besser, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål bedre, Norwegian Nynorsk betre, Swedish bättre, Faroese and Icelandic betri. Also Sanskrit भ॒द्र (bhadrá, “blessed; fortunate; happy; good”) (from *bʰn̥d-ró-s). 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).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Badger: You think you're better than other people.
Mal: Just the ones I'm better than."
— 2002 November 1, “Shindig”, in Firefly, episode 4:
"“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.”"
— 1972, Harvey Andrews, Hey Sandy:
"I could never better stead thee than now.[…]"
— c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
"“I’ve had enough of cycling with you chaps. I can spend my Sundays better than in tormenting cats and quarrelling and fighting.”"
— 1901, Louis Couperus, translated by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos, Small Souls:
"Their betters would hardly be found."
— [1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page):