You use neither in front of the first of two or more words or expressions when you are linking two or more things which are not true or do not happen. The other thing is introduced by 'nor'.
Professor Hisamatsu spoke neither English nor German.
The play is neither as funny nor as disturbing as Tabori thinks it is.
2. determiner
You use neither to refer to each of two things or people, when you are making a negative statement that includes both of them.
At first, neither man could speak.
Neither is also a quantifier.
Neither of us felt like going out.
Neither is also a pronoun.
They both smiled; neither seemed likely to be aware of my absence for long.
3. conjunction
If you say that one person or thing does not do something and neither does another, what you say is true of all the people or things that you are mentioning.
I never learned to swim and neither did they.
I don't have all the answers and neither do you.
4. conjunction
You use neither after a negative statement to emphasize that you are introducing another negative statement.
[formal]
I can't ever recall Dad hugging me. Neither did I sit on his knee.
5.
See neither here nor there
English Easy Learning GrammarDeterminersDeterminers are words that make the reference of nouns more specific. If I say ‘thiscar’ it is clear that I mean a particular car which is near me. If ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarDistributivesDistributives are determiners that are used to talk about how something is sharedout or divided. The distributives are each, every, either, and neither. ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarIndefinite pronounsThe indefinite pronouns are used when you do not know or do not need to say preciselywho or what you are referring to. The noun phrase which they substitute ... Read more
neither in British English
(ˈnaɪðə, ˈniːðə)
determiner
1.
a.
not one nor the other (of two); not either
neither foot is swollen
b.
(as pronoun)
neither can win
conjunction
2. (coordinating)
a. (used preceding alternatives joined by nor)
not
neither John nor Mary nor Joe went
b. another word for nor (sense 2)
adverb
3. (sentence modifier) not standard another word for either (sense 4)
▶ USAGE A verb following a compound subject that uses neither… should be in the singular if both subjects are in the singular: neither Jack nor John has done the work
Word origin
C13 (literally, ne either not either): changed from Old English nāwther, from nāhwæther, from nā not + hwæther which of two; see whether
neither in American English
(ˈniðər; ˈnaɪðər)
adjective, pronoun
1.
not one or the other (of two); not either
neither boy went; neither of them was invited
conjunction
2.
not either
the first element of the pair of correlatives neither … nor, indicating negation of both parts of the statement [I could neither laugh nor cry]: neither … nor is sometimes used to refer to more than two, although this use is objected to bysome [the shop sells neither tobacco, beer, nor wine]
3.
nor yet; and … not
he does not smoke, neither does he drink
adverb
4. Informal, Dialectal
any more than the other; also
used after negative expressions
if she won't go, I won't neither
Word origin
ME naither, altered (by assoc. with eyther, either) < nauther < OE na-hwæther, lit., not whether (see no1, whether), not either of two
More idioms containing
neither
neither here nor there
be neither fish nor fowl
Examples of 'neither' in a sentence
neither
Neither is likely to be specifically noticed by its audience.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
What happens when neither of us can drive?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Neither party could be reached for comment.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It turns out that neither is true.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Neither say nor do a thing.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Mother wouldn't like it and neither does the club.
The Sun (2016)
Neither of those things is true, alas.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
In person he is neither deranged nor canine, but softly spoken and erudite.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Crystal Palace were marginally the better side, though neither goalkeeper had much to do.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
I don't need people, neither does he.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He is neither funny enough nor plaintive enough.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Neither of those two things look like happening again soon.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Neither company was aware that its systems had been targeted.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The really worrying thing was that neither did he!
Admiral Sandy Woodward, With Patrick Robinson ONE HUNDRED DAYS (2003)
The pair are equally ambitious yet neither is likely to lead his party.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This sport has yet to properly deal with its past but neither can it bury it.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Neither team has been particularly adept at keeping clean sheets.
The Sun (2010)
The party has neither the manpower nor money to match the established parties.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Wants and desires are neither true nor false.
The Times Literary Supplement (2011)
They would not have waited till a time when man can do neither good nor evil.
Kishlansky, Mark A. (editor) Sources of the West: Readings in Western Civilization, Volume 1: From the Beginningto 1715 (1995)
The missing person is neither dead nor present and therefore no one has the power to handle their affairs.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Neither can win the nomination today.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Its binary imperatives constantly contradict each other, so that it is neither funny nor exciting.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Though neither of these has the longevity of a brick or stone path, they do look beautiful.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I want to help them but it is hard to think of what to say, as neither will tell their parents nor anyone else.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In other languages
neither
British English: neither /ˈnaɪðə; ˈniːðə/ CONJUNCTION
If you say that one person or thing does not do something and neither does another, what you say is true of both the people or things that you are mentioning.
I never learned to swim and neither did they.
American English: neither
Arabic: لَا...وَلَا
Brazilian Portuguese: tampouco
Chinese: 两者都不
Croatian: niti
Czech: také ne
Danish: heller ikke
Dutch: evenmin
European Spanish: tampoco
Finnish: ei kumpikaan
French: non plus
German: keiner
Greek: μήτε
Italian: neanche
Japanese: ･･･もまた･･･でない
Korean: ...도 ...도 아니다
Norwegian: heller
Polish: żaden
European Portuguese: tampouco
Romanian: nici
Russian: никакой
Latin American Spanish: tampoco
Swedish: inte heller
Thai: ต่างก็ไม่
Turkish: hiçbiri
Ukrainian: ні
Vietnamese: không phải cái này mà cũng không phải cái kia
British English: neither /ˈnaɪðə; ˈniːðə/ PRONOUN
You use neither to refer to each of two things or people, when you are making a negative statement that includes both of them.
They both smiled; neither seemed likely to be aware of my absence for long.
American English: neither
Arabic: لَا هَذَا وَلَا ذَاكَ
Brazilian Portuguese: nenhum
Chinese: 两者都不
Croatian: nijedan
Czech: žádný ze dvou ani jeden
Danish: ingen af dem
Dutch: geen van beide
European Spanish: ninguno
Finnish: ei kumpikaan
French: aucun
German: keiner von beiden
Greek: κανείς από τους δύο
Italian: nessuno dei due
Japanese: どちらも･･･でない
Korean: 어느 쪽도 ... 아니다
Norwegian: ingen
Polish: żaden
European Portuguese: nenhum
Romanian: niciunul
Russian: ни один
Latin American Spanish: ninguno
Swedish: ingendera
Thai: ต่างก็ไม่
Turkish: hiçbir
Ukrainian: жоден
Vietnamese: không cái nào trong hai cái
British English: neither /ˈnaɪðə; ˈniːðə/ DETERMINER
Neither means not one or the other of two things or people.
At first, neither man could speak.
American English: neither
Arabic: لا....ولا
Brazilian Portuguese: nenhum
Chinese: 两者都不
Croatian: nijedan
Czech: ani jedenze dvou
Danish: ingen af
Dutch: geen van beide
European Spanish: ninguno de los dos
Finnish: kumpikaan
French: aucun des deux
German: keiner
Greek: κανένας από τους δύο
Italian: nessuno dei due
Japanese: どちらも･･･ない
Korean: 어느것도~아니다
Norwegian: ingen av dem
Polish: również nie
European Portuguese: nenhum
Romanian: niciunul
Russian: ни один
Latin American Spanish: ningún
Swedish: ingen
Thai: ไม่ทั้งสอง
Turkish: hiçbiri
Ukrainian: жодний
Vietnamese: cả hai đều không
Chinese translation of 'neither'
neither
(ˈnaɪðəʳ)
pron
(= person) 两(兩)人都不 (liǎng rén dōu bù)
(= thing) 两(兩)者都不 (liǎng zhě dōu bù)
conj
I didn't move and neither did John我和约(約)翰都没(沒)动(動) (wǒ hé Yuēhàn dōu méi dòng)
neither 和 none 作代词的时候用法不同。用 neither 指两个人或事物，表示否定含义。 Neither had close friends at university.neither of 的用法与之相同，后接代词或名词词组。 Neither of them spoke ... Neither of these options is desirable. 注意，也可以把 neither 用在单数可数名词之前。 Neither side can win.none 可以指代三个或者三个以上的人或事物，表示否定含义。 None could afford the food.none of 的用法与之相同，后接代词或名词词组。 None of them had learned anything.