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every

determiner
EV-ree/ˈɛv.(ə.)ɹi/

3 meanings of every

Practice

  1. 1
    each onedeterminer
    Used to refer to all the members of a group individually, without exception.

    Every seat was taken.

    He knows every street in the city.

    UsageUse a singular noun and verb: every student has (not incorrect: every students have). It can follow a possessive: her every word.

    Similareach

  2. 2
    at intervalsdeterminer
    At a stated interval, or the proportion such spacing gives ('every third bead was red, and the rest were blue'; 'every ten miles'; 'every few minutes').

    The bus runs every twenty minutes.

    Every other house had a flag out.

    UsageUse a plural noun in every ten minutes, but a singular noun in every third minute. Every other day means on alternate days.

    Note

    Paired with a number or an ordinal, the word measures a rhythm instead of sweeping up the whole group without exception: every ten miles, every third bead. The same pattern also expresses a ratio. Every tenth soldier in a unit is ten percent of them; in the Roman army, decimation meant executing one soldier in every ten.

  3. 3
    all possibledeterminer
    With certain nouns, all possible or an abundance of.

    There is every chance of rain tomorrow.

    He showed every sign of enjoying himself.

    UsageWith a small set of nouns: every chance, every reason, every confidence, and in formulas like make every effort.

    Note

    Only certain abstract nouns allow this reading, and with them the word stops counting and starts intensifying. Every confidence is complete confidence, and every reason is all the reason one could want.

Practice

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Origin

Inherited from Middle English every (also everich, averiche), from Old English ǣfre ǣlċ, ǣfre ǣġhwelċ meaning "each and every." On the surface it can be analysed as "ever" plus "each" (or "ever" plus "which").

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

  • Every is inherited from Middle English every, also spelled everich. en.wiktionary.org
  • Averiche is another Middle English form. en.wiktionary.org
  • The Old English sources are ǣfre ǣlċ and ǣfre ǣġhwelċ, meaning each and every. en.wiktionary.org
  • The word can be analysed on the surface as ever plus each or ever plus which. en.wiktionary.org