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neighbour

B1
UK/ˈneɪbə(r)/US/ˈneɪbər/

Neutral, used in all but the most formal contexts.

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Definition

Meaning

A person who lives next to or very near to you.

A person, place, or thing situated next to or very near another; a fellow member of a community or group; to be situated next to.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Primarily denotes geographical proximity in a physical dwelling sense (e.g., next-door neighbour), but can extend to broader community relationships or abstract proximity (e.g., neighbouring countries).

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Spelling: UK 'neighbour' / US 'neighbor'. The UK spelling follows the pattern '-our' (behaviour, colour), whereas US spelling uses '-or'.

Connotations

Identical. Both spellings carry the same range of meanings.

Frequency

The word is equally frequent in both dialects. The spelling difference is the sole key distinction.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
next-doorgoodfriendlycloseimmediatenoisynew
medium
upstairsdownstairselderlyhelpfulnearestbadpoor
weak
curiousnoseydistantcountrycity

Grammar

Valency Patterns

live next door to [neighbour]be neighbour to [person/place]have a [adjective] neighbourget on with one's neighbours

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

adjacent resident

Neutral

resident nearbyperson next doorlocal

Weak

community memberfellow citizen

Vocabulary

Antonyms

strangerforeignerdistant resident

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “Love thy neighbour.”
  • “The boy next door.”
  • “Good fences make good neighbours.”
  • “Neighbourhood watch.”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Refers to adjacent businesses or competitors in a market ('our neighbour in the retail park').

Academic

Used in geography, sociology, and urban studies to discuss community relations and spatial proximity.

Everyday

Extremely common for referring to people living nearby and community interaction.

Technical

In computing and mathematics, refers to an adjacent node, cell, or data point (e.g., 'neighbouring pixels').

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

  • The field neighbours the ancient woodland.
  • Our garden neighbours theirs.

American English

  • Canada neighbors the United States.
  • The property neighbors a public park.

adverb

British English

  • (Rare/Archaic) They sat neighbour to the fireplace.

American English

  • (Rare/Archaic) The barn stands neighbour to the creek.

adjective

British English

  • We visited the neighbour village.
  • The neighbour house is for sale.

American English

  • The neighbor town has a better school.
  • Check with the neighbor apartments first.

Examples

By CEFR Level

A2
  • My neighbour has a dog.
  • Our neighbours are very friendly.
  • She is our new neighbour.
B1
  • We get on well with our next-door neighbours.
  • I borrowed a ladder from my neighbour.
  • The noise is disturbing the neighbours.
B2
  • The country maintains good relations with its immediate neighbours.
  • He's been a good neighbour to us ever since we moved in.
  • The proposed development will neighbour a conservation area.
C1
  • The principle of loving one's neighbour underpins many ethical systems.
  • Geopolitical tensions often arise between neighbouring states with shared resources.
  • The algorithm compares each pixel with its four nearest neighbours.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of the UK spelling 'neighbour' as having a 'U' for 'U live next to me'.

Conceptual Metaphor

PROXIMITY IS COMMUNITY / SOCIAL BOND.

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

  • Do not confuse with 'родственник' (relative/kin). 'Neighbour' is defined by location, not blood relation.
  • The British spelling 'neighbour' is analogous to 'colour' and 'favour'.
  • The verb 'to neighbour' is rare; more common to say 'to be next to' or 'to border'.

Common Mistakes

  • Incorrect: 'He is my neighbour from my hometown.' (Correct if they live nearby *now*, not in the past.)
  • Spelling confusion in mixed-dialect writing.
  • Using 'neighbour' as a direct synonym for 'friend'.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
After the storm, the entire came together to help clear the fallen trees.
Multiple Choice

Which sentence uses 'neighbour' correctly in a British English context?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

It is purely a spelling difference. 'Neighbour' is the standard British English spelling, while 'neighbor' is the standard American English spelling.

Yes, but it is less common and somewhat formal. It means 'to border on' or 'to be situated next to' (e.g., 'The park neighbours the school').

No. While its primary meaning refers to a person living nearby, it can also refer to things situated close to each other, such as neighbouring countries, buildings, or cells in a spreadsheet.

Associate the 'U' in the British 'neighbour' with the 'U' in 'United Kingdom'. American spelling often drops the 'u' (color, honor, neighbor).