eher

== German == === Etymology === Chiefly from haplology of Middle High German ērer, from Old High German ēriro, from Proto-Germanic *airizô. Compare Dutch eerder. Likely conflated with Middle High German ēr, a rarer byform of ē (whence modern eh, ehe), from Old High German ēr, from Proto-Germanic *airiz, adverbial form of the above. Cognate with Dutch eer, English ere, Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌹𐍃 (airis). The final /r/ was regularly lost in Late Old High German (cf. da, hie, wo), but survived regionally (chiefly in Central German). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈeːər/, [ˈʔeː.ɐ] === Adverb === eher comparative degree of bald / früh: sooner, earlier Synonym: früher rather fairly, relatively, somewhat; expresses a weakened degree Synonyms: relativ, einigermaßen sooner, more readily, preferably; expresses a preference Synonym: lieber more precisely speaking, in fact, more like; used to replace a word or phrase with another Synonym: vielmehr === Adjective === eher (chiefly colloquial) comparative degree of früh Synonym: früher ==== Related terms ==== ehe, eh erste === See also === ziemlich === Further reading === “eher” in Duden online “eher” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache