rather than
1 of 2conjunction
1
—used with the infinitive form of a verb to indicate negation as a contrary choice or wish
rather than continue the argument, he walked awaychose to sing rather than play violin
2
: and not
obscures rather than resolves the problem
why do one thing rather than another?
happy rather than sad
rather than
2 of 2preposition
: instead of
rather than being pleased, she was angry
Word History
First Known Use
Conjunction
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Preposition
1595, in the meaning defined above
- societas leonina
- societas uni
- societas universorum bonorum
- societates
- societies
- society
- society finch
- Society Islander
- Society Islands
- Society men
- society people
- society screw
- socii
- Socinian
- socinianism
- socinianisms
- Socinianistic
- Socinianize
- socinians
- Socinus
- socio-
- socio-economic
- socio-economically
- sociobiological
- sociobiologies