another

Another is a word in English that functions primarily as a determiner and a pronoun. It denotes an additional person or thing of the same kind, or an alternate option. As a determiner, it precedes a singular noun: another book, another chance. It is used when referring to one more item rather than all others. As a pronoun, in phrases like I’ll have another, it stands in for a singular count noun understood from context. The form “an other” is historical; the modern spelling another is now standard.

Origin and form: the word comes from Old English as an combination of one (ān) and other (oðer). Over time this fusion produced the single word another, which is used today with modern English syntax. The related word other exists as a determiner or pronoun for non-specific or plural references, as in “the other books” or “other options.”

Usage notes: another is used with singular count nouns. It cannot take a plural noun (you would say “other books” or “the others”). It can convey addition or replacement, as in “I’d like another slice” or “We need another approach.” The phrase one another is a distinct reciprocal pronoun meaning mutual action or relation among two or more people, and it is not interchangeable with another.

See also: other, others, one another, else. In everyday language, another often pairs with common nouns in phrases like another day, another time, another chance, underscoring its role in indicating an additional or alternative item.