Standard Lemma guide

besides

adv · prep · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /bɪˈsaɪdz/
  • US: /bɪˈsaɪdz/
  • US: /bəˈsaɪdz/
  • US: /biˈsaɪdz/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aɪdz
  • CMU ARPABET: B IH0 S AY1 D Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: B IY2 S AY1 D Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

Also; in addition.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: conjunctive, not-comparable

Examples

  • We've paid for your whole education and plenty more besides!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Used to emphasize an additional point, especially an important or stronger reason; moreover; furthermore.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: conjunctive, not-comparable

Examples

  • I don't feel like going out tonight. Besides, I have to work tomorrow morning anyway.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

Otherwise; else.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • I have been to Spain but nowhere besides.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adv

Meaning 4

On one side.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

prep

Meaning 5

In addition to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Besides José, I'll invite Jay and Renée, the three of them.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: aside

6

prep

Meaning 6

Other than; except for; instead of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I don't want to go anywhere besides India.
  • I want to go with someone besides my father.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

prep

Meaning 7

Beside, next to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

Examples

  • 1561, Geneva Bible, Acts 16:13, And on the Sabbath day, we went out of the citie, besides a riuer, where they were wont to pray : and we sate downe, and spake vnto the women, which were come together.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

adverb

Meaning 8

making an additional point; anyway

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I don't want to go to a restaurant; besides, we can't afford it
  • she couldn't shelter behind him all the time and in any case he wasn't always with her

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: in any case

Antonyms: none provided

9

adverb

Meaning 9

in addition

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he has a Mercedes, too

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: too, also, likewise, as well

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English bisides (also bisiden), extension of biside, equivalent to beside + -s (adverbial suffix).

Across languages

Translations

258 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: üstəlik — also; in addition
  • Azerbaijani: bundan başqa — also; in addition
  • Azerbaijani: ondan başqa — also; in addition
  • Bulgarian: също (sǎšto) — also; in addition
  • Bulgarian: в допълнение (v dopǎlnenie) — also; in addition
  • Catalan: a més — also; in addition
  • Chinese Mandarin: 還有 /还有 (háiyǒu) — also; in addition
  • Chinese Mandarin: 並且 /并且 (bìngqiě) — also; in addition
  • Dutch: bovendien — also; in addition
  • Dutch: daarenboven — also; in addition
  • Dutch: daarbij — also; in addition
  • Esperanto: aldone — also; in addition
  • Esperanto: krome — also; in addition
  • Esperanto: plue — also; in addition
  • Finnish: lisäksi — also; in addition
  • French: de plus — also; in addition
  • French: en plus en outre — also; in addition
  • French: de surcroît — also; in addition
  • French: par surcroît par ailleurs — also; in addition
  • French: d'un autre côté — also; in addition
  • French: d'autre part — also; in addition
  • French: au reste — also; in addition
  • French: du reste — also; in addition
  • German: außerdem — also; in addition
  • German: weiterhin — also; in addition
  • German: darüber hinaus — also; in addition
  • Greek: επιπλέον (epipléon) — also; in addition
  • Greek: επιπροσθέτως (epiprosthétos) — also; in addition
  • Haitian Creole: dayè — also; in addition
  • Hungarian: ezenkívül — also; in addition
  • Hungarian: ezenfelül — also; in addition
  • Hungarian: azonkívül — also; in addition
  • Hungarian: azonfelül — also; in addition
  • Hungarian: még — also; in addition
  • Hungarian: hozzá — also; in addition
  • Hungarian: mellé — also; in addition
  • Hungarian: emellett — also; in addition
  • Hungarian: amellett — also; in addition
  • Hungarian: azontúl — also; in addition
  • Icelandic: einnig — also; in addition
  • Irish: le cois — also; in addition
  • Italian: in aggiunta — also; in addition
  • Japanese: それに — also; in addition
  • Japanese: ほかに (hoka ni) — also; in addition
  • Latin: alioqui — also; in addition
  • Polish: poza tym — also; in addition
  • Portuguese: além disso — also; in addition
  • Portuguese: fora isso — also; in addition
  • Portuguese: ademais — also; in addition
  • Russian: кро́ме того́ (króme tovó) — also; in addition
  • Russian: к тому́ же (k tomú že) — also; in addition
  • Slovak: tiež — also; in addition
  • Slovak: navyše — also; in addition
  • Spanish: además — also; in addition
  • Spanish: aparte — also; in addition
  • Spanish: asimismo — also; in addition
  • Spanish: ítem más — also; in addition
  • Spanish: de añadido — also; in addition
  • Spanish: de ajuste — also; in addition
  • Spanish: de chemís — also; in addition
  • Telugu: పైగా (paigā) — also; in addition
  • Ukrainian: крім то́го (krim tóho) — also; in addition
  • Vietnamese: ngoài ra — also; in addition
  • Arabic: عِلَاوَة عَلَى ذٰلِكَ (ʕilāwa ʕalā ḏālika) — moreover; furthermore
  • Azerbaijani: hətta — moreover; furthermore
  • Azerbaijani: əlavə — moreover; furthermore
  • Bulgarian: освен това (osven tova) — moreover; furthermore
  • Catalan: a més a més — moreover; furthermore
  • Chinese Mandarin: 並且 /并且 (bìngqiě) — moreover; furthermore
  • Chinese Mandarin: 而且 (érqiě) — moreover; furthermore
  • Chinese Mandarin: 還有 /还有 (háiyǒu) — moreover; furthermore
  • Chinese Mandarin: 況且 /况且 (kuàngqiě) — moreover; furthermore
  • Dutch: daarnaast — moreover; furthermore
  • Dutch: bovendien — moreover; furthermore
  • Dutch: voorts — moreover; furthermore
  • Esperanto: cetere — moreover; furthermore
  • Esperanto: krome — moreover; furthermore
  • Esperanto: plue — moreover; furthermore
  • Finnish: lisäksi — moreover; furthermore
  • Finnish: sitä paitsi — moreover; furthermore
  • French: de plus — moreover; furthermore
  • French: en plus en outre — moreover; furthermore
  • French: de surcroît — moreover; furthermore
  • French: par surcroît par ailleurs — moreover; furthermore
  • French: d'un autre côté — moreover; furthermore
  • French: d'autre part — moreover; furthermore
  • French: au reste — moreover; furthermore
  • French: du reste — moreover; furthermore
  • French: d'ailleurs — moreover; furthermore
  • German: außerdem — moreover; furthermore
  • Greek: επιπλέον (epipléon) — moreover; furthermore
  • Greek: επιπροσθέτως (epiprosthétos) — moreover; furthermore
  • Greek: συν τοις άλλοις (syn tois állois) — moreover; furthermore
  • Haitian Creole: dayè — moreover; furthermore
  • Hungarian: különben is — moreover; furthermore
  • Hungarian: egyébként is — moreover; furthermore
  • Hungarian: amúgy is — moreover; furthermore
  • Icelandic: auk þess — moreover; furthermore
  • Irish: rud eile de — moreover; furthermore
  • Italian: inoltre — moreover; furthermore
  • Japanese: さらに (sara ni) — moreover; furthermore
  • Japanese: その上に (sono ue ni) — moreover; furthermore
  • Japanese: なお (nao) — moreover; furthermore
  • Latin: praeter — moreover; furthermore
  • Polish: zresztą — moreover; furthermore
  • Polish: poza tym — moreover; furthermore
  • Portuguese: além disso — moreover; furthermore
  • Portuguese: fora isso — moreover; furthermore
  • Russian: бо́лее того́ (bóleje tovó) — moreover; furthermore
  • Russian: сверх того́ (sverx tovó) — moreover; furthermore
  • Slovak: navyše — moreover; furthermore
  • Slovak: tiež — moreover; furthermore
  • Spanish: además — moreover; furthermore
  • Swedish: dessutom — moreover; furthermore
  • Telugu: పైగా (paigā) — moreover; furthermore
  • Ukrainian: крім то́го (krim tóho) — moreover; furthermore
  • Vietnamese: hơn nữa — moreover; furthermore
  • Bulgarian: освен (osven) — otherwise; else
  • Catalan: d'altra banda — otherwise; else
  • Dutch: behalve dat — otherwise; else
  • Dutch: daarnaast — otherwise; else
  • Dutch: daarbuiten — otherwise; else
  • Finnish: muuten — otherwise; else
  • French: sinon — otherwise; else
  • Greek: άλλωστε (álloste) — otherwise; else
  • Greek: εξάλλου (exállou) — otherwise; else
  • Hungarian: különben — otherwise; else
  • Hungarian: egyébként — otherwise; else
  • Hungarian: amúgy — otherwise; else
  • Hungarian: máskülönben — otherwise; else
  • Hungarian: azonkívül — otherwise; else
  • Italian: altrimenti — otherwise; else
  • Russian: кро́ме того́ (króme tovó) — otherwise; else
  • Slovak: inak — otherwise; else
  • Spanish: de lo contrario — otherwise; else
  • Spanish: si no — otherwise; else
  • Vietnamese: nếu không — otherwise; else
  • Azerbaijani: başqa — in addition to
  • Azerbaijani: savayı — in addition to
  • Azerbaijani: əlavə — in addition to
  • Belarusian: апрача (aprača) — in addition to
  • Bulgarian: осве́н това́ (osvén tová) — in addition to
  • Catalan: a més — in addition to
  • Chinese Mandarin: 除了...以外 (chúle...yǐwài) — in addition to
  • Czech: kromě — in addition to
  • Dutch: naast — in addition to
  • Esperanto: cetere — in addition to
  • Esperanto: aldone al — in addition to
  • Finnish: lisäksi — in addition to
  • French: de plus — in addition to
  • French: en plus en outre — in addition to
  • French: de surcroît — in addition to
  • French: par surcroît par ailleurs — in addition to
  • French: d'un autre côté — in addition to
  • French: d'autre part — in addition to
  • French: au reste — in addition to
  • French: du reste — in addition to
  • Georgian: დამატებით (damaṭebit) — in addition to
  • Georgian: ამას გარდა (amas garda) — in addition to
  • Georgian: გარდა ამისა (garda amisa) — in addition to
  • German: außer — in addition to
  • Greek: εκτός (ektós) — in addition to
  • Hungarian: mellett — in addition to
  • Hungarian: kívül — in addition to
  • Indonesian: selain — in addition to
  • Irish: le cois — in addition to
  • Italian: oltre a — in addition to
  • Japanese: ...のほかに (...no hoka ni) — in addition to
  • Japanese: ...に加えて (...ni kuwaete) — in addition to
  • Latin: item — in addition to
  • Polish: oprócz — in addition to
  • Polish: poza — in addition to
  • Portuguese: além de — in addition to
  • Russian: кро́ме (króme) — in addition to
  • Russian: поми́мо (pomímo) — in addition to
  • Scottish Gaelic: a bharrachd air — in addition to
  • Scottish Gaelic: a thuilleadh air — in addition to
  • Serbo-Croatian: pored — in addition to
  • Serbo-Croatian: osim — in addition to
  • Serbo-Croatian: uz — in addition to
  • Slovak: okrem — in addition to
  • Slovak: popri — in addition to
  • Slovene: póleg — in addition to
  • Spanish: aparte de — in addition to
  • Spanish: además de — in addition to
  • Spanish: extra de — in addition to
  • Spanish: amén de — in addition to
  • Swahili: aidha — in addition to
  • Turkish: dışında — in addition to
  • Ukrainian: крім (krim) — in addition to
  • Venetan: apèđe — in addition to
  • Vietnamese: cũng như — in addition to
  • Arabic: إِلَّا (ʔillā) — other than; except for
  • Arabic: بِٱسْتِثْنَاء (bi-stiṯnāʔ) — other than; except for
  • Armenian: բացի (bacʻi) — other than; except for
  • Azerbaijani: başqa — other than; except for
  • Azerbaijani: savayı — other than; except for
  • Azerbaijani: özgə — other than; except for
  • Bulgarian: осве́н (osvén) — other than; except for
  • Burmese: အပြင် (a.prang) — other than; except for
  • Catalan: excepte — other than; except for
  • Catalan: tret (de) — other than; except for
  • Catalan: exceptuant — other than; except for
  • Catalan: llevat (de) — other than; except for
  • Chinese Mandarin: 除了...以外 (chúle...yǐwài) — other than; except for
  • Dutch: behalve — other than; except for
  • Esperanto: krom — other than; except for
  • Esperanto: escepte (de) — other than; except for
  • Finnish: paitsi — other than; except for
  • Finnish: muu kuin — other than; except for
  • French: excepté — other than; except for
  • French: sauf — other than; except for
  • West-Frisian: njonken — other than; except for
  • Georgian: გარეშე (gareše) — other than; except for
  • German: außer — other than; except for
  • Gothic: 𐌰𐌻𐌾𐌰 (alja) — other than; except for
  • Greek: εκτός (ektós) — other than; except for
  • Greek: πλην (plin) — other than; except for
  • Ancient Greek: πλήν (plḗn) — other than; except for
  • Ancient Greek: νόσφι (nósphi) — other than; except for
  • Ancient Greek: ἄνευ (áneu) — other than; except for
  • Ancient Greek: ἔξω (éxō) — other than; except for
  • Ancient Greek: ἐκτός (ektós) — other than; except for
  • Ancient Greek: ἔμπλην (émplēn) — other than; except for
  • Ancient Greek: δίχα (díkha) — other than; except for
  • Ancient Greek: παρέκ (parék) — other than; except for
  • Hindi: के सिवाय (ke sivāy) — other than; except for
  • Hindi: के अलावा (ke alāvā) — other than; except for
  • Hindi: के अतिरिक्त (ke atirikt) — other than; except for
  • Hungarian: kivéve — other than; except for
  • Hungarian: csak — other than; except for
  • Hungarian: csakis — other than; except for
  • Hungarian: egyedül — other than; except for
  • Ingrian: krome — other than; except for
  • Irish: seachas — other than; except for
  • Irish: diomaite de — other than; except for
  • Italian: ad eccezione di — other than; except for
  • Japanese: ...を除いて (...o nozoite) — other than; except for
  • Japanese: ...以外は (...igai wa) — other than; except for
  • Māori: hāunga — other than; except for
  • Persian: بجز (bejoz) — other than; except for
  • Persian: جز (joz) — other than; except for
  • Portuguese: além de — other than; except for
  • Portuguese: a não ser — other than; except for
  • Portuguese: exceto — other than; except for
  • Russian: кро́ме (króme) — other than; except for
  • Russian: исключа́я (isključája) — other than; except for
  • Russian: за исключе́нием (za isključénijem) — other than; except for
  • Serbo-Croatian: osim — other than; except for
  • Slovak: okrem — other than; except for
  • Slovene: rázen — other than; except for
  • Spanish: excepto — other than; except for
  • Spanish: salvo — other than; except for
  • Ukrainian: крім (krim) — other than; except for
  • Venetan: a parte — other than; except for
  • Vietnamese: trừ — other than; except for
  • Vietnamese: ngoại trừ — other than; except for
  • Vietnamese: ngoài — other than; except for
Real reading context

besides in complete knowledge articles