Added 8 October 2026
next
/nɛkst/ adjective
In Latin: proximus, sequens, subsequens Wiktionary
adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about next at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Nearest in place or position, having nothing similar intervening; adjoining.
The man in the next bunk kept me awake all night with his snoring.
- Most direct, or shortest or nearest in distance or time.
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Nearest in order, succession, or rank; immediately following (or sometimes preceding) in order.
Please turn to the next page.
determiner
-
Denotes the one immediately following the current or most recent one.
Next week would be a good time to meet.
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Closest in the future, or closest but one if the closest is very soon; of days, sometimes thought to specifically refer to the instance closest to seven days (one week) in the future.
The party is next Tuesday; that is, not tomorrow, but eight days from now.
adverb
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In a time, place, rank or sequence closest or following.
They live in the next closest house.
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So as to follow in time or sequence something previously mentioned.
First we removed all the handles; next, we stripped off the old paint.
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On the first subsequent occasion.
Financial panic, earthquakes, oil spills, riots. What comes next?
preposition
Origin
From Middle English nexte, nexste, nixte, from Old English nīehsta, nīehste, etc., inflected forms of nīehst (“nearest, next”), superlative form of nēah (“nigh”) (the comparative would become near), corresponding to Proto-Germanic *nēhwist (“nearest, closest”); equivalent to nigh + -est. Cognate with Saterland Frisian naist (“next”), Dutch naast (“next to”), German nächster (“next”), Yiddish נעקסט (nekst, “next”), Danish næste (“next”), Elfdalian nest (“by, near”), Icelandic næst (“next”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk neste (“next”), Swedish näst, nästa (“next”), Persian نزد (nazd, “near, with”). Compare typologically Latin proximus (“nearest, next”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)