Further

Part of speech: adjective, adverb

Pronunciation: /ˈfɜː.ðə/

Definitions

1. To a higher degree or more intensely ; at a more distant or advanced place or time ; to help the progress or development of something
2. Increased in scale or intensity ; beyond a current point in space or time ; to support or advance an action or cause
3. More deeply or thoroughly ; farther along in distance or progress ; to assist in making something happen or succeed

Etymology: Most people would guess that "further" is simply a longer cousin of "far," but its shape comes from a comparative built on "fore" and "forth." Old English "forþor" and "furþor" meant "further," and they grew from the same stem that gave us "fore," the idea of being out in front. The ending "-ther" is a leftover comparative marker, the same fossil ending found in "other," "either," and "whether," where it no longer does visible work. The word's sister forms are spread across the Germanic languages. Dutch has "verder," German has "fürder," and West Frisian has "fierder," all meaning the same thing, which shows the word was already shared among the early Germanic peoples before English split off on its own path. Scots keeps the form "forder" or "furder," so the family resemblance is easy to see when you compare them side by side.

Synonyms: additional, more, extra, greater, enhanced

Antonyms: less, fewer, diminished