What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Better vs Greater - What's the difference?

better | greater | Synonyms |

As adjectives the difference between better and greater

is that better is comparative of good while greater is comparative of great.

As an adverb better

is comparative of well POS=adverb.

As a verb better

is to improve.

As a noun better

is an entity, usually animate, deemed superior to another; one who has a claim to precedence; a superior.

better

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) better, bettre, betre, from (etyl) .

Adjective

(head)
  • (good)
  • * {{quote-video, date = 2002-11-01
    • , title = , episode = , number = 4 , passage = Badger:'' You think you're better''' than other people.
    ''Mal:'' Just the ones I'm '     better than. }}
  • (well)
  • larger, greater
    • Derived terms
    * better dead than red * better half * better off * betterness * better part of * get better
    Related terms
    * best * better than nothing * better the devil you know

    Adverb

    (head)
  • * 1901 , ,
    • “I’ve had enough of cycling with you chaps. I can spend my Sundays better than in tormenting cats and quarrelling and fighting.”
  • More, in reference to value, distance, time, etc.
    • ten miles and better
    Derived terms
    * had better * 'd better
    Related terms
    * best

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To improve.
  • * Wordsworth
    • Love betters what is best.
  • * Thackeray
    • He thought to better his circumstances.
  • * Macaulay
    • the constant effort of every man to better himself
  • To become better; to improve.
    • (Carlyle)
  • To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel.
  • * Hooker
    • The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered .
  • To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of.
  • * Milton
    • Weapons more violent, when next we meet, / May serve to better us and worse our foes.
  • (slang) Had better.
    • You better do that if you know what's good for you.
    Derived terms
    * betterer * betterment
    Synonyms
    * See also

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An entity, usually animate, deemed superior to another; one who has a claim to precedence; a superior.
    • He quickly found Ali his better in the ring.
  • * Hooker
    • Their betters would hardly be found.

    Derived terms

    * get the better of

    Etymology 2

    Alternate pronunciation of (bettor) or modern formation from the verb to (bet).

    Noun

    (en noun)

    • Statistics

    * 1000 English basic words ----

    greater

    English

    Adjective

    (head)
  • (great)
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-26, author= Nick Miroff
    • , volume=189, issue=7, page=32, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Mexico gets a taste for eating insects […] , passage=The San Juan market is Mexico City's most famous deli of exotic meats, where an adventurous shopper can hunt down hard-to-find critters such as ostrich, wild boar and crocodile. Only the city zoo offers greater species diversity.}}
  • Used in referring to a region or place together with the surrounding area ; (of a city) metropolitan.
  • * 1990 , Geza Peter Lauter & Chikara Higashi, Internationalization of the Japanese Economy , ISBN 0792390520, p. 285
  • *:more than 25 percent of the country's population live there.
  • * 1997 , Virginia Boucher, Interlibrary Loan Practices Handbook , ISBN 0838906672, p. 98
  • *:located in the greater Midwest.
  • * 2004 , Richard Alan Meckel & Heather Munro Prescott, Children and Youth in Sickness and in Health: A Historical Handbook and Guide , ISBN 0313330417, p. 201
    • The rate in isolated counties was about a third higher than in the greater metropolitan counties.

    Statistics

    *