amongst

English

Alternative forms

• among
• amongest (obsolete)
• amoungst (archaic)
• amoungest (obsolete)

Etymology

From amongs +‎ -t (excrescent), from among +‎ -s (genitive). By surface analysis, among +‎ -st (excrescent). Root among from Old English ongemang, from on (“in”) + gemang (“assemblage, mingling”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əˈmʌŋst/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌŋst

Preposition

amongst

1. Denotes a mingling or intermixing with distinct or separable objects. See usage note at amidst.

   Janek feels very at ease amongst his friends, but gets incredibly nervous when meeting new people.

   • [1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “The Ruines of Time”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. […], London: […] William Ponsonbie, […], →OCLC, signature C2, verso:

     And novv thee vvorſhip, mongſt that bleſſed throng / Of heauenlie Poets and Heroes ſtrong.]

   • a. 1627 (date written), Francis Bacon, “[Baconiana Politico-Moralia. […].] It is my purpoſe to give a true and plain Account, of the Deſigns and Labours of a very great Philoſopher amongſt us; and to offer to the World, in ſome tollerable Method, thoſe Remains of his, which to that end, were put into my Hands.”, in [Thomas Tenison], editor, Baconiana. Or Certain Genuine Remains of Sr. Francis Bacon, […], London: […] J. D. for Richard Chiswell, […], published 1679, →OCLC, page 21:
   • 1959 October, Norman Jones, “The Manchester Ship Canal Railway”, in Trains Illustrated, page 488:

     The smart little locomotives, mostly 0-6-0 saddletanks, which are always busy shunting traffic amongst the vast dockside warehouses, belong to the Manchester Ship Canal Railway, a line of considerable importance.

Usage notes

• See amidst and among.

Synonyms

• among (variant of amongst)
• amidst
• amid

Derived terms

• get amongst it
• thereamongst
• whereamongst

 

Translations

Used to denote a mingling or intermixing

• Catalan: entre (ca)
• Danish: iblandt
• Dutch: tussen (nl), onder (nl)
• Finnish: keskellä (fi), seassa (fi)
• French: parmi (fr)
• German: zwischen (de), unter (de)
• Greek: ανάμεσα (el) (anámesa)
• Indonesian: antara (id)
• Korean: 가운데 (ko) (gaunde), 사이 (ko) (sai)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: blant (no), iblant (no)

  Nynorsk: blant, iblant

• Portuguese: entre (pt), juntamente com
• Russian: среди́ (ru) (sredí)
• Spanish: entre (es)
• Swedish: bland (sv), ibland (sv)
• Turkish: arasında (tr)
• Vietnamese: giữa (vi), trong số

Anagrams

• Gamston, gamonts