more

More is a common English word used to indicate a greater degree or quantity. It functions as an adverb and a determiner, and it appears in various constructions to form the comparative or to request an addition. It also appears in fixed phrases such as more or less.

Etymology and usage notes: More comes from Old English forms such as mǣra or māra, meaning greater or more, and is cognate with German mehr and Dutch meer. The modern form developed in Middle English and has since become the standard comparative form of much and many in many contexts. In sentences, more can modify adjectives and adverbs (for example, more beautiful, more quickly) or serve as a determiner for additional quantity (more time, more people). It participates in correlative constructions such as the more ... the more ..., and it appears in expressions like the phrase “the more, the merrier.”

Notable uses and references: More also appears as a proper name. Sir Thomas More (1478–1535) was an English statesman, humanist, and author of Utopia, who played a central role in the politics of his time and was executed under Henry VIII. More is a surname carried by other individuals as well. In popular culture, More is the title of a 1969 film directed by Barbet Schroeder, with music by Pink Floyd, a work that explores themes of pleasure and excess. In computing, more is a paging program used on Unix-like systems to view text one screen at a time, often complemented by or contrasted with the more capable less program.

These senses reflect how More functions as a basic language element and as a name that has appeared across literature, film, and computing.