amongst

amongst pronunciation

/uh-MUNGST/

Meaning

Same job as among. You use it when something sits in a crowd, a pile, or a bunch of people. Southern and Appalachian speakers kept the -st ending more often than many other Americans, so it can sound old-fashioned or country without changing the meaning.

How folks use it

• “She hid the letter amongst the cookbooks.”
• “He felt at home amongst his kin at the reunion.”

Origin and etymology

Amongst is the older British form of among, built with an old adverb ending -st. American English mostly shifted to among, but amongst never fully left Southern, Appalachian, and some rural speech. Meaning stayed the same either way.

Frequently asked questions