Meanings
next1
alternative dialectal neest · alternative Scotland neist · alternative archaic nex · alternative dialectal nex'
- not comparableNearest in place or position, having nothing similar intervening; adjoining.
I live in the next house to the Grand Hotel.
3 more examples
The man in the next bunk kept me awake all night with his snoring.
She lives a mile or two away, in the next village.
Philander went into the next room, which was just a lean-to hitched on to the end of the shanty, and came back with a salt mackerel that dripped brine like a rainstorm.
1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VIII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC- not comparableobsoleteMost direct, or shortest or nearest in distance or time.
A prophet I, Madam; and I speak the truth the next way: […]
c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)1 more example
The road to resolution, lies by doubt: "The next way home's the farthest way about."
1777, Francis Quarles, Emblems Divine and Moral: Together with Hieroglyphics of the Life of Man, page 152, epigram 2
- not comparableNearest in order, succession, or rank; immediately following (or sometimes preceding) in order.
Please turn to the next page.
4 more examples
On Wednesday next, I'm going to Spain.
the next chapter; the next week; the Sunday next before Easter
The man was driven by his love for money and his desire to become the next Bill Gates.
"[…]You patriotic?" / "I guess so, as much as the next guy," I said, wondering how the hell I could shake him.
1945, Yank: the army weekly, volume 4, page 96 - not comparablelawNearest in relationship. (See also next of kin.)
next friend
3 more examples
And if a man purchase land in fee simple and die without issue, he which is his next cousin collaterall of the whole blood, how farre so ever he be from him in degree, (de quel pluis long degree qu'il soit), may inherite and have the land ...
1628, Coke, On Littleton (10. a. 10. b. §2), quoted in 1890, John Bethell Uhle, Current Comment and Legal Miscellany, page 250Thomas Humphrey Doleman died the 30th of August 1712, an infant, intestate and without issue; Lewis the next nephew died the 17th of April 1716, an infant about sixteen years old, having left his mother Mary Webb, ...
1793, William Peere Williams, Samuel Compton Cox, Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the High Court of Chancery, and of Some Special Cases Adjudged in the Court of King's Bench [1695-1735]: De Term. S. Trin. 1731, page 602If it be a property, it is a new species, unknown to the civil law, the common law, and the statute law; there is no medium, it must be, if it goes to her next kin, because it is absolute property in her. There can be no distribution of personal property ...
1874, Thomas Sergeant, William Rawle, Reports of Cases Adjudged in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, page 23
alternative dialectal neest · alternative Scotland neist · alternative archaic nex · alternative dialectal nex'
- Denotes the one immediately following the current or most recent one.
I'll know better next time.
1 more example
Next week would be a good time to meet.
- 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.
1 more example
When you say next Thursday, do you mean Thursday this week or Thursday next week?
alternative dialectal neest · alternative Scotland neist · alternative archaic nex · alternative dialectal nex'
- not comparableIn a time, place, rank or sequence closest or following.
They live in the next closest house.
1 more example
It's the next best thing to ice cream.
- conjunctivenot comparableSo as to follow in time or sequence something previously mentioned.
First we removed all the handles; next, we stripped off the old paint.
- not comparableOn the first subsequent occasion.
When we next meet, you'll be married.
1 more example
Financial panic, earthquakes, oil spills, riots. What comes next?
alternative dialectal neest · alternative Scotland neist · alternative archaic nex · alternative dialectal nex'
- obsoletepoeticOn the side of; nearest or adjacent to; next to.
D is so dainty a letter, that she admits no other consonant next her but R:[…]
1660, James Howell, Lexicon Tetraglotton, an English-French-Italian-Spanish Dictionary: […] By the Labours, and Lucubrations of James Howell, page 1173 more examples
All persons, in walking the streets, whose right sides are next the wall, are intitled to take the wall.
1822, The Pamphleteer, page 118The fact that the line cannot be original is patent from the fact that Aias in the rest of the Iliad is not encamped next the Athenians […] .
1900, The Iliad, edited, with apparatus criticus, prolegomena, notes, and appendices, translated by Walter Leaf (London, Macmillan), notes on line 558 of book 2Photographs indicate that the southern terminals of the ditch system next the west gate may be in echelon, whilst those marginal to the east gate may be slightly inturned.
1986, University of Wales Board of Celtic Studies, Bwletin Y Bwrdd Gwybodau Celtaidd - Volume 33, page 413
alternative dialectal neest · alternative Scotland neist · alternative archaic nex · alternative dialectal nex'
- uncountableThe one that follows after this one.
Next, please, don't hold up the queue!
1 more example
There is no time for lunch, hauling myself from one place to the next.
2007, Steve Cohen, Next Stop Hollywood (St. Martin's Griffin) - uncountablegamesNext match
gg team, Wanna play next?
NEXT2
plural NEXTs
- abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablecommunicationsInitialism of near-end crosstalk.
All twisted pairs are assumed to be 26-gauge (0.4mm) and 9000-feet (2744m) long. The dominant crosstalk signals consist of NEXTs from BRIs and HDSLs.
2001, Chaohuang Zeng, Carlos Adana, Atul Salvekar, John M. Cioffi, “Crosstalk Identification in xDSL Systems”, in IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, volume 19, number 8, →DOI, →ISSN
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveimmediately following in time or order
adjectivenearest in space or position; immediately adjoining without intervening space
adjective(of elected officers) elected but not yet serving
adjective(of a day of the week) nearest (or nearest but one) after the present moment
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Germanic*nēhwist“nearest, closest”
- Old Englishnīehsta
- Middle Englishnexte
- Englishnext
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”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans volgende
- volgendenearest date, time, space or order
Ancient Greek ἑξῆς, εἶτα
- ἑξῆς (hexês)On the first subsequent occasion
- εἶτα (eîta)In a time, place or sequence closest or following
Arabic قَادِم, تَالٍ
- قَادِم (qādim)nearest date, time, space or order
- تَالٍ (tālin)following in a sequence
- بِجَانِب (bi-jānib)on the side of
Basque datorren
- datorrennearest date, time, space or order
Bulgarian следващ, сле́дващ
- следващ (sledvašt)nearest date, time, space or order
- сле́дващ (slédvašt)following in a sequence
- бъ́дещ (bắdešt)following in a sequence
- съседен (săseden)being closer to the present location than all other items
- най-близък (naj-blizăk)being closer to the present location than all other items
- след товаOn the first subsequent occasion
- до (do)on the side of
Catalan proper, següent
- propernearest date, time, space or order
- següentnearest date, time, space or order
- que venearest date, time, space or order
- vinentnearest date, time, space or order
- properfollowing in a sequence
- següentfollowing in a sequence
- properbeing closer to the present location than all other items
- següentbeing closer to the present location than all other items
- al costaton the side of
Chinese Cantonese 下一個 /下一个, 下一次
- 下一個 /下一个 (haa⁶ jat¹ go³)following in a sequence
- 下一次 (haa⁶ jat¹ ci³)following in a sequence
Chinese Mandarin 下, 下一個 /下一个
- 下 (xià)nearest date, time, space or order
- 下一個 /下一个 (xià yī ge)following in a sequence
- 下 (xià)following in a sequence
- 下一次 (xià yī cì)following in a sequence
- 隔壁 (gébì)being closer to the present location than all other items
- 比鄰 /比邻 (bǐlín)being closer to the present location than all other items
Czech další, následující
- dalšínearest date, time, space or order
- následujícínearest date, time, space or order
- příštífollowing in a sequence
- následujícífollowing in a sequence
- budoucífollowing in a sequence
- vedleon the side of
Danish næste
- næstefollowing in a sequence
Dutch volgend, aanstaand
- volgendnearest date, time, space or order
- aanstaandnearest date, time, space or order
- volgendfollowing in a sequence
- naastbeing closer to the present location than all other items
- dichtstbeing closer to the present location than all other items
- volgendOn the first subsequent occasion
- nabijIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- bijIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- vlakbijIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- naaston the side of
- de volgendethe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
Esperanto proksima, sekva
- proksimanearest date, time, space or order
- sekvafollowing in a sequence
- venontafollowing in a sequence
- apudabeing closer to the present location than all other items
- proksimabeing closer to the present location than all other items
- posteOn the first subsequent occasion
- apudeIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- proksimeIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- apudon the side of
- venontothe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
Estonian järgmine, järgmine
- järgminenearest date, time, space or order
- järgminefollowing in a sequence
Finnish seuraava, seuraava
- seuraavanearest date, time, space or order
- seuraavafollowing in a sequence
- seuraavabeing closer to the present location than all other items
- ensi kerrallaOn the first subsequent occasion
- seuraavalla kerrallaOn the first subsequent occasion
- seuraavan kerranOn the first subsequent occasion
- seuraavaksiIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- vieressäon the side of
- vierelläon the side of
French prochain, prochain
- prochainnearest date, time, space or order
- prochainfollowing in a sequence
- suivantfollowing in a sequence
- prochebeing closer to the present location than all other items
- puisOn the first subsequent occasion
- aprèsOn the first subsequent occasion
- à côtéon the side of
- le suivantthe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
German nächster, nächster
- nächsternearest date, time, space or order
- nächsterfollowing in a sequence
- nächsterbeing closer to the present location than all other items
- nebenon the side of
- der/die Nächstethe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
Greek επόμενος, επόμενος
- επόμενος (epómenos)nearest date, time, space or order
- επόμενος (epómenos)following in a sequence
- διπλανός (diplanós)being closer to the present location than all other items
Hebrew בָּא
- בָּא (ba)following in a sequence
Hindi अगला
- अगला (aglā)following in a sequence
Hungarian legközelebbi, jövő
- legközelebbinearest date, time, space or order
- jövőnearest date, time, space or order
- következőnearest date, time, space or order
- következőfollowing in a sequence
- legközelebbibeing closer to the present location than all other items
- szomszédosbeing closer to the present location than all other items
- szomszédbeing closer to the present location than all other items
- ezutánOn the first subsequent occasion
- azutánOn the first subsequent occasion
- aztánOn the first subsequent occasion
- utánaOn the first subsequent occasion
- legközelebbIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- másodikIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- eggyelIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- melletton the side of
- melléon the side of
- a következőthe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
Icelandic næstur, því næst
- næsturfollowing in a sequence
- því næstOn the first subsequent occasion
Irish seo chugainn
- seo chugainnnearest date, time, space or order
Italian più vicino, prossimo
- più vicinonearest date, time, space or order
- prossimonearest date, time, space or order
- seguentefollowing in a sequence
- successivofollowing in a sequence
- prossimofollowing in a sequence
- vicinobeing closer to the present location than all other items
- prossimobeing closer to the present location than all other items
- dopoOn the first subsequent occasion
- poiOn the first subsequent occasion
- accantoIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- vicinoIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- vicino aon the side of
- accanto aon the side of
- pressoon the side of
- il prossimothe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
- la prossimathe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
Japanese 明くる, 次の
- 明くる (akuru)nearest date, time, space or order
- 次の (tsugi no)following in a sequence
- 隣の (tonari no)being closer to the present location than all other items
Korean 다음의
- 다음의 (da'eumui)following in a sequence
Latin propior, proximus
- propiornearest date, time, space or order
- proximusfollowing in a sequence
- sequensfollowing in a sequence
- subsequensfollowing in a sequence
- proximusbeing closer to the present location than all other items
- deindeOn the first subsequent occasion
Malay depan
- depannearest date, time, space or order
Māori panuku, panuku
- panukufollowing in a sequence
- panukuIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
Norwegian neste, følgende
- nestenearest date, time, space or order
- følgendenearest date, time, space or order
- nestefollowing in a sequence
- nestebeing closer to the present location than all other items
- nærmestbeing closer to the present location than all other items
- som nesteOn the first subsequent occasion
- nærmestIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- ved siden avon the side of
- attmedon the side of
- nestethe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
- nestemannthe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
Persian آینده, سپس
- آینده (âyande)nearest date, time, space or order
- سپس (sepas)following in a sequence
- پس از این (pas az in)following in a sequence
- دیگر (digar)following in a sequence
- آینده (âyande)following in a sequence
Polish następny, najbliższy
- następnynearest date, time, space or order
- najbliższynearest date, time, space or order
- następnyfollowing in a sequence
- przyszłyfollowing in a sequence
- kolejnyfollowing in a sequence
- dalejOn the first subsequent occasion
- następnieIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
Portuguese próximo, seguinte
- próximonearest date, time, space or order
- seguintenearest date, time, space or order
- próximofollowing in a sequence
- seguintefollowing in a sequence
- pertobeing closer to the present location than all other items
- próximobeing closer to the present location than all other items
- a seguirOn the first subsequent occasion
- seguinteOn the first subsequent occasion
- depoisOn the first subsequent occasion
- próximoOn the first subsequent occasion
- pertoIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- próximoIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- ao ladoon the side of
- próximothe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
Romanian următor
- următorfollowing in a sequence
Russian сле́дующий, бу́дущий
- сле́дующий (slédujuščij)nearest date, time, space or order
- бу́дущий (búduščij)nearest date, time, space or order
- гряду́щий (grjadúščij)nearest date, time, space or order
- сле́дующий (slédujuščij)following in a sequence
- бу́дущий (búduščij)following in a sequence
- ближа́йший (bližájšij)being closer to the present location than all other items
- сосе́дний (sosédnij)being closer to the present location than all other items
- зате́м (zatém)On the first subsequent occasion
- пото́м (potóm)On the first subsequent occasion
- по́сле (pósle)On the first subsequent occasion
- вблизи́ (vblizí)In a time, place or sequence closest or following
- во́зле (vózle)In a time, place or sequence closest or following
- о́коло (ókolo)In a time, place or sequence closest or following
- по́дле (pódle)In a time, place or sequence closest or following
- ря́дом (rjádom)In a time, place or sequence closest or following
- по сосе́дству (po sosédstvu)In a time, place or sequence closest or following
- во́зле (vózle)on the side of
- сле́дующий (slédujuščij)the one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
Scottish Gaelic ath, ath
- athnearest date, time, space or order
- athfollowing in a sequence
Slovak nasledujúci, budúci
- nasledujúcifollowing in a sequence
- budúcifollowing in a sequence
- ďalšífollowing in a sequence
Spanish próximo, próximo
- próximonearest date, time, space or order
- próximofollowing in a sequence
- próximobeing closer to the present location than all other items
- despuésOn the first subsequent occasion
- a continuaciónOn the first subsequent occasion
- seguidamenteOn the first subsequent occasion
- de/a seguido/seguidaOn the first subsequent occasion
- enseguidaOn the first subsequent occasion
- de ahí/allíOn the first subsequent occasion
- junto aIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- al lado/costado deIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- al ladoon the side of
- siguientethe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
- próximathe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
- próximothe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
Swahili kando, kando
- kandoIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- kandoon the side of
Swedish nästa, nästa
- nästanearest date, time, space or order
- nästafollowing in a sequence
- närabeing closer to the present location than all other items
- närmastbeing closer to the present location than all other items
- härnästOn the first subsequent occasion
- nästIn a time, place or sequence closest or following
- bredvidon the side of
- nästathe one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)
Tagalog sunod
- sunodfollowing in a sequence
Thai หน้า
- หน้า (nâa)following in a sequence
Turkish ertesi, gelecek
- ertesinearest date, time, space or order
- gelecekfollowing in a sequence
- önümüzdekifollowing in a sequence
- yakınbeing closer to the present location than all other items
- yanındaon the side of
Ukrainian насту́пний, майбу́тній
- насту́пний (nastúpnyj)following in a sequence
- майбу́тній (majbútnij)following in a sequence
Urdu اگلا
- اگلا (aglā)following in a sequence
Vietnamese tiếp theo, sắp tới
- tiếp theonearest date, time, space or order
- sắp tớifollowing in a sequence
- bênbeing closer to the present location than all other items
Yiddish ווייַטער, נעקסט
- ווייַטער (vayter)following in a sequence
- נעקסט (nekst)following in a sequence
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with next
All rhymes →Cite this entry
next. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/next
“next.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/next. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “next,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/next.
Source: next on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.