Neighborly
/ˈneɪ.bər.li/noun
Friendly, kind, or characteristic of neighbors.
Did you know?The word comes from Old English hēahgebūr, literally a ‘near-dweller,’ from the same ancient root behind ‘boor’—so your cozy neighborly vibe shares ancestry with a word once meaning a rustic settler.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
?
“A compound meaning ‘near-dweller’ or ‘close inhabitant’”
Old English
OE
hēahgebūr
“A nearby dwelling person; a neighbor”
Middle English
ME
neighebor
“A neighbor, someone living near”
14th Century
English
neighborly
“Of or like a neighbor; friendly and helpful to neighbors”
Modern English
English
neighborly
“Friendly, kind, or characteristic of neighbors”