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next¹

  • /nɛkst/

Rhymes with -ɛkst

Where it comes from

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”).

adjective neest · neist · nex · nex'

  1. not comparable Nearest in place or position, having nothing similar intervening; adjoining. The man in the next bunk kept me awake all night with his snoring.
  2. not comparable, obsolete Most direct, or shortest or nearest in distance or time. A prophet I, Madam; and I speak the truth the next way: […]
  3. not comparable Nearest in order, succession, or rank; immediately following (or sometimes preceding) in order. Please turn to the next page.
  4. not comparable Nearest in relationship. (See also next of kin.) next friend

Similar: subsequent · Opposite: previous

determiner neest · neist · nex · nex'

  1. Denotes the one immediately following the current or most recent one. Next week would be a good time to meet.
  2. of days of the week or months of the year 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.

adverb neest · neist · nex · nex'

  1. not comparable In a time, place, rank or sequence closest or following. They live in the next closest house.
  2. conjunctive, not comparable So as to follow in time or sequence something previously mentioned. First we removed all the handles; next, we stripped off the old paint.
  3. not comparable On the first subsequent occasion. Financial panic, earthquakes, oil spills, riots. What comes next?

Opposite: previously

preposition neest · neist · nex · nex'

  1. obsolete, poetic On 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:[…]

noun neest · neist · nex · nex'

  1. uncountable The one that follows after this one. Next, please, don't hold up the queue!
  2. uncountable Next match gg team, Wanna play next?

NEXT²

noun NEXTs

  1. abbreviation, countable, initialism, uncountable Initialism 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.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: adjacent, following, succeeding, incoming, future, close, proximate, here, contiguous, successive, nearby, near, nigh, period, closely, alongside

adjective

Similar: subsequent · Opposite: previous

adverb

Opposite: previously

Translations

Every language

adj nearest date, time, space or order

Españolpróximo
日本語明くる akuru
中文下 xià
Portuguêspróximo, seguinte
Françaisprochain
Deutschnächster
Italianopiù vicino, prossimo
Ελληνικάεπόμενος epómenos
Русскийсле́дующий slédujuščij, бу́дущий búduščij, гряду́щий grjadúščij
Tiếng Việttiếp theo
العربيةقَادِم qādim

adj following in a sequence

Españolpróximo
한국어다음의 da'eumui
日本語次の tsugi no
中文下一個 /下一个 xià yī ge, 下 xià, 下一次 xià yī cì
हिन्दीअगला aglā
Portuguêspróximo, seguinte
Françaisprochain, suivant
Deutschnächster
Italianoseguente, successivo, prossimo
Ελληνικάεπόμενος epómenos
Românăurmător
Русскийсле́дующий slédujuščij, бу́дущий búduščij
Tiếng Việtsắp tới
العربيةتَالٍ tālin
עבריתבָּא ba

adj being closer to the present location than all other items

Españolpróximo
日本語隣の tonari no
中文隔壁 gébì, 比鄰 /比邻 bǐlín
Portuguêsperto, próximo
Françaisproche
Deutschnächster
Italianovicino, prossimo
Ελληνικάδιπλανός diplanós
Русскийближа́йший bližájšij, сосе́дний sosédnij
Tiếng Việtbên

adv In a time, place or sequence closest or following

Españoljunto a, al lado/costado de
Kiswahilikando
Portuguêsperto, próximo
Italianoaccanto, vicino
Русскийвблизи́ vblizí, во́зле vózle, о́коло ókolo, по́дле pódle, ря́дом rjádom, по сосе́дству po sosédstvu

adv On the first subsequent occasion

Españoldespués, a continuación, seguidamente, de/a seguido/seguida, enseguida, de ahí/allí
Portuguêsa seguir, seguinte, depois, próximo
Françaispuis, après
Italianodopo, poi
Русскийзате́м zatém, пото́м potóm, по́сле pósle

prep on the side of

Españolal lado
Kiswahilikando
Portuguêsao lado
Françaisà côté
Deutschneben
Italianovicino a, accanto a, presso
Русскийво́зле vózle
العربيةبِجَانِب bi-jānib

noun the one that follows after this one (in languages with a definite article that is generally required in this sense)

Españolsiguiente, próxima, próximo
Portuguêspróximo
Françaisle suivant
Deutschder/die Nächste
Italianoil prossimo, la prossima
Русскийсле́дующий slédujuščij

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MLA

"next." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/next. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

next. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/next

Chicago

"next." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/next.

BibTeX
@misc{next_2026,
  title = {next},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/next},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}