Phrase guide

every second

adj · adv · noun · 4 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

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Every other/two; each alternate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • Take the medication every second day.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: Once per second.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

Very frequently; more frequently than is desired.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, not-comparable

Examples

  • Why do you keep bothering me every second?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The entirety of something of duration.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • The man hated every second of the ten years he served in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
  • After enduring traumatic experiences, many people are likely to remember every second of them.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 每隔一 (měi gé yī) — every other; each alternate
  • Chinese Mandarin: 每兩 /每两 (měi liǎng) — every other; each alternate
  • Czech: každý druhý — every other; each alternate
  • Danish: hver anden — every other; each alternate
  • Finnish: joka toinen — every other; each alternate
  • French: un sur deux — every other; each alternate
  • French: une sur deux — every other; each alternate
  • Galician: cada dous — every other; each alternate
  • Galician: cada dúas — every other; each alternate
  • German: jeder zweite — every other; each alternate
  • Hungarian: minden második — every other; each alternate
  • Ido: omna duesma — every other; each alternate
  • Irish: gach dara — every other; each alternate
  • Irish: gach re — every other; each alternate
  • Italian: ogni due — every other; each alternate
  • Japanese: 一つおきの (hitotsu oki no) — every other; each alternate
  • Macedonian: секој втор (sekoj vtor) — every other; each alternate
  • Norwegian Bokmål: annenhver — every other; each alternate
  • Norwegian Bokmål: annethvert — every other; each alternate
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: annankvar — every other; each alternate
  • Polish: co drugi — every other; each alternate
  • Portuguese: cada dois — every other; each alternate
  • Portuguese: um sim, outro não — every other; each alternate
  • Russian: ка́ждый второ́й (káždyj vtorój) — every other; each alternate
  • Scottish Gaelic: gach dàrnacha — every other; each alternate
  • Slovak: každý druhý — every other; each alternate
  • Slovene: vsak drug — every other; each alternate
  • Swedish: varannan — every other; each alternate