than

Definition

Used in comparisons, to introduce the basis of comparison.

Etymology

From Middle English than, thanne, from Old English þanne, a variant of þonne (“then, since, because”), from Proto-West Germanic *þan, from Proto-Germanic *þan (“at that, at that time, then”), from earlier *þam, from Proto-Indo-European *tóm, accusative masculine of *só (“demonstrative pronoun, that”). Cognate with Dutch dan (“than”), German denn (“than”), German dann (“then”). Doublet of then.

Example Sentences

• "Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine. The machine gun is so much more lethal than the bow and arrow that comparisons are meaningless."
• "The artist worried more than was necessary: there were a lot of people at the exhibition, more than came last year."
• "Answer me if you can, any other way, than because the Scriptures, which are infallible, Say so."