The preposition is derived from Middle English among, amang, amange, amonge (“in the presence of, amid, among; in, within; between; during”), from Old English amang, onġemang (preposition), from on (“on, among, in”) (probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- (“on, onto”)) + ġemang (“crowd; mixture”, noun) (from ġe- (prefix forming nouns denoting association or similarity) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“beside, by; near; with”)) + mang- (from mængan, mengan (“to mingle, mix”); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *menk- (“to knead; to press”))). By surface analysis, a- (prefix meaning ‘at; in; on’) + mong (“crowd, throng; group”). The adverb is derived from Middle English among, amang (“accompanied by, along with, by the side of, in association with, together; all the while, continually; also, besides; at the same time; from time to time, occasionally; meanwhile; within”), from Old English onġemang (adverb): see further above. cognates * Dutch mank, maank (“among”) * German mang (“among”) (dialectal) * German Low German mank, manken (“among”) * Saterland Frisian monk, monken (“among”) * West Frisian mank (“among”)
Of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things).
to put the cat among the pigeons
And Adam hyd him ſelf with his wyfe [Eve], from the preſence of yͤ LORDE God amonge the trees of the garden.1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Genesis iij:[8], folio ij, recto, column 2:
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As for the former [seaweed] called Zoſter, it is found among the ſhelves and ſhallovv vvaters not farre from the ſhore: both the one and the other appeare in the Spring, and be gone in the Autumne.1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XIII.] Of Shrubs and Trees Growing in Our Mediterranean Sea, in the Red Sea, and the Indian Sea.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], 1st tome, London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, page 401:
They [vinellos] are commo[n]ly ſold for 3 pence a Cod among the Spaniards in the VVeſt-Indies, and are ſold by the Druggiſt, for they are much uſed among Chocolate to perfume it.1697, William Dampier, chapter VIII, in A New Voyage Round the World. […], London: […] James Knapton, […], →OCLC, page 235:
When the good man skulked towards the boxes appointed for the Lacedemonians, that honest people, more virtuous than polite, rose up all to a man, and with the greatest respect received him among them.1711 March 17 (Gregorian calendar), [Richard Steele], “TUESDAY, March 7, 1710–1711”, in The Spectator, number 6; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 113:
She follovved the nuns to a chapel vvhere they uſually performed their devotions, and vvas there ſeated among the novices.1797, Ann Radcliffe, chapter VIII, in The Italian, or The Confessional of the Black Penitents. A Romance. […], volume I, London: […] T[homas] Cadell Jun. and W[illiam] Davies (successors to Mr. [Thomas] Cadell) […], →OCLC, page 216:
2
Associated with or living alongside (other people or things).
How can you speak with authority about their customs when you have never lived among them?
In like maner Ephraim droue not out yͤ Cananites that dwelt at Gaſer [Gezer], but the Cananites dwelt amonge them at Gaſer.1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Judges j:[29], folio xiij, verso, column 1:
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[W]e ſee that Horſſes and Dogges vvhich liue among men, and heare their continuall voices, do diſcerne alſo their termes of threatning, chiding, & rating, and ſo ſtand in avve of them; […]1607, Conradus Gesnerus [i.e., Conrad Gessner]; Edward Topsell, “Of the Lyon”, in The Historie of Foure-footed Beastes. […], London: […] William Iaggard, →OCLC, page 475:
We have several of these irresistible gentlemen among us when the company is in town. These fellows are accomplished with the knowledge of the ordinary occurrences about court and town, have that sort of good breeding which is exclusive of all morality, and consists only in being publicly decent, privately dissolute.1711 September 8 (Gregorian calendar), [Richard Steele], “TUESDAY, August 29, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 156; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 310:
[E]ven the VVhim and Caprice of one ruling Man among them, is enough to arm all the reſt, vvithout any private Vievvs of their ovvn, to the vvorſt and blackeſt Purpoſes; […]1756, [Edmund Burke], A Vindication of Natural Society: Or, A View of the Miseries and Evils Arising to Mankind from Every Species of Artificial Society. […], London: […] M. Cooper […], →OCLC, page 35:
3
Belonging to (a group comprising similar people or things).
He is among the few who completely understand the subject.
All this has led to an explosion of protest across China, including among a middle class that has discovered nimbyism.2013 August 10, “Can China clean up fast enough?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848, London: The Economist Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 Dec 2025:
4
Distinct in some way from (other members of a group); specifically, superior or pre-eminent compared to (other members of a group).
When the history of this Nation, and our great State is written, it shall be recorded that John Dent was a giant among men, a humanitarian, and most of all, a man dedicated not only to the people who elected him, but a man dedicated to the nation as well.1978 October 14, [Daniel] Flood, “Retiring Members of 95th Congress”, in Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 95th Congress, Second Session: Appendix (United States House of Representatives), volume 124, part 28, Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 38765, column 1:
› Of an event or a fact.
5
Originally, in the course of; during; now, in the circumstances or context of.
6
Distributed or divided between (members of a group).
And if you come hether, / When Damſines [damsons] I gether, / I will part them all you among.1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Aprill. Ægloga Quarta.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC, folio 14, recto:
There is a lad here, which hath fiue barley loaues, and two ſmall fiſhes: but what are they among ſo many?1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 6:9, signature [I6], verso, column 1:
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The scandal of a lie is in a manner lost and annihilated when diffused among several thousands; as a drop of the blackest tincture wears away and vanishes when mixed and confused in a considerable body of water; the blot is still in it, but is not able to discover itself.1712 October 21 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “FRIDAY, October 11, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 507; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume V, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 492:
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Done jointly by (two or more people).
[Y]ou haue among you, kild a ſvveet and innocent lady: […]1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, Much Adoe about Nothing. […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], signature H3, recto:
If the Injury vvas done by more, vvho did all equally concur to the doing of it, they are all equally bound to make Satisfaction; […] every one is not bound to ſatisfie for the vvhole, but pro ratâ parte, for his ſhare; provided they do among them make full Satisfaction.a. 1695 (date written), John Tillotson, “Sermon XII. The Nature and Necessity of Restitution. The First Sermon on this Text. Luke XIX. 8, 9.”, in Ralph Barker, editor, Several Discourses of Repentance. […], volume VIII, London: […] Ri[chard] Chiswell, […], published 1700, →OCLC, page 377:
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In the general custom or opinion of (members of a group).
Foraſmuch as many haue taken in hande to ſet foorth in order a declaration of thoſe things which are moſt ſurely beeleued among vs, […] It ſeemed good to me alſo, hauing had perfect vnderſtanding of things from the very firſt, to write vnto thee in order, moſt excellent Theophilus, That thou mighteſt know the certaintie of thoſe things wherein thou haſt bene inſtructed.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 1:1 and 3–4, signature F, verso, column 1:
Such is the variety of opinions which are here entertained of me, so that I pass among some for a disaffected person, and among others for a popish priest; among some for a wizard, and among others for a murderer; and all this for no other reason that I can imagine but because I do not hoot, and hollow, and make a noise.1711 August 10 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “MONDAY, July 31, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 131; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 192:
9
Occurring between (members of a group) or within (a group).
Lactose intolerance is common among people of Asian heritage.
Then was there diſcenſion amõge [amonge] the Jewes for theſe ſayenges.1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Jhon [John] x:[19], folio xlv, verso, column 2:
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There goeth a commen reporte, that there is whordome amõge [amonge] you, and ſuch whordome, as is not once named amõge the Heythen, that one ſhulde haue his fathers wife.1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, I. Corinthians v:[1], folio lxxiij, verso, column 1:
[…] I alvvayes thought / It vvas both impious and vnnaturall, / That ſuch immanity and bloody ſtrife / Should reigne among Profeſſors of one Faith.1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 114, column 2:
[T]he dissensions of the barons, who were then so many petty princes, ran very high, whether they quarrelled among themselves, or with their neighbours, and produced unspeakable calamities to the country.1711 May 31 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “SUNDAY, May 21, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 70; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 425:
The preposition is derived from Middle English among, amang, amange, amonge (“in the presence of, amid, among; in, within; between; during”), from Old English amang, onġemang (preposition), from on (“on, among, in”) (probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- (“on, onto”)) + ġemang (“crowd; mixture”, noun) (from ġe- (prefix forming nouns denoting association or similarity) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“beside, by; near; with”)) + mang- (from mængan, mengan (“to mingle, mix”); ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *menk- (“to knead; to press”))). By surface analysis, a- (prefix meaning ‘at; in; on’) + mong (“crowd, throng; group”). The adverb is derived from Middle English among, amang (“accompanied by, along with, by the side of, in association with, together; all the while, continually; also, besides; at the same time; from time to time, occasionally; meanwhile; within”), from Old English onġemang (adverb): see further above. cognates * Dutch mank, maank (“among”) * German mang (“among”) (dialectal) * German Low German mank, manken (“among”) * Saterland Frisian monk, monken (“among”) * West Frisian mank (“among”)
1
Obsolete Along with (someone or something); together.
Yeat interlace vve ſhall among the Loue of her and him: […]1602, William Warner, “The Eleventh Booke. Chapter LXI.”, in Albions England. A Continued Historie of the Same Kingdome, from the Originals of the First Inhabitants thereof: […], 5th edition, London: […] Edm[und] Bollifant for George Potter, […], →OCLC, page 271:
And of the ſame vvorke vvere their baſes, their head-'tires of flovvers, mix'd vvith ſiluer, and gold, vvith ſome ſprigs of Ægrets among, and from the top of their dreſſing, a thinne vayle hanging dovvne.1631, [Ben Jonson], Chloridia. Rites to Chloris and Her Nymphs. […], London: […] Thomas Walkley, →OCLC, signature B2, verso:
2
Obsolete At the same time, all the while, meanwhile.
Obsolete Chiefly with contrasting adjectives or adverbs: from time to time, now and then; also, here and there.
[Y[our beſt vvay is, to direct your courſe Eaſt North-eaſt, and North-eaſt by Eaſt, among; […]1625, [Samuel] Purchas, “A Ruter, or Briefe Direction for Readie Sayling into the East-India, Digested into a Plaine Method by Master Iohn Davis of Lime-house, vpon Experience of His Fiue Voyages thither, and Home againe”, in Purchas His Pilgrimes. […], 1st part, London: […] William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, […], →OCLC, 4th book, § II (A Note for Finding out of the Riuer of Saint Augustine in Saint Laurence, of Diuers Small Iles in the Way thence to Achen, and of Many Ports and Passages in and about Sumatra), page 450: