ruther
Rather; the way country folks say they'd prefer.
Also called druther.
Updated September 24, 2026
ruther pronunciation
/RUH-thur/
Meaning
Ruther is rather with a Southern and Appalachian sound. You hear it most in I'd ruther and I'd ruther not. Same preference, less polished. It is also the root of druthers, as in if I had my druthers.
How folks use it
- “I'd ruther stay home than drive to town in this weather.”
- “I'd ruther not talk about it right now.”
Origin and etymology
A spoken variant of rather kept alive in rural Southern and Appalachian English. OED lists ruther as an alteration of rather. From I'd ruther folks later clipped druther and druthers for preference.
Frequently asked questions
Is ruther connected to druthers?
Yes. Druthers comes from I'd ruther, meaning what you'd rather do.