or1

 
Pronunciation: /ɔː/

conjunction

  • 1used to link alternatives: a cup of tea or coffee are you coming or not? I either take taxis or walk everywhere it doesn’t matter whether the theory is right or wrong
  • 2introducing a synonym or explanation of a preceding word or phrase: yoga is a series of postures, or asanas
  • 3otherwise (used to introduce the consequences of something not being done or not being the case): hurry up, or you’ll miss it all
  • 4introducing an afterthought, usually in the form of a question: John’s indifference—or was it?—left her unsettled
  • 5 archaic either: to love is the one way to know or God or man

noun

(OR)
  • a logical operation which gives the value one if at least one operand has the value one, and otherwise gives a value of zero.
  • [as modifier] Electronics denoting a gate circuit which produces an output if there is a signal on any of its inputs.

Phrases

or else

see else.

or so

(after a quantity) approximately: a dozen or so people

Origin:

Middle English: a reduced form of the obsolete conjunction other (which superseded Old English oththe 'or'), of uncertain ultimate origin

1 Where a verb follows a list separated by or, the traditional rule is that the verb should be singular, as long as the things in the list are individually singular, as in a sandwich or other snack is included in the price (rather than a sandwich or other snack are included in the price). The argument is that each of the elements agrees separately with the verb. The opposite rule applies when the elements are joined by and: here, the verb should be plural: a sandwich and a cup of coffee are included in the price. These traditional rules are observed in good English writing style but are often disregarded in speech.2 On the use of either ... or, see either (usage).