Word of the day: Druthers

Druthers

[DRUH-therz]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: U.S. English, 19th century

(Usually “one's druthers”) A person's preference in a matter.

Examples of druthers in a sentence

"I wish my neighbors would express their druthers to city council about the speed of traffic on our street."

"Raphael would have been an architect if he’d had his druthers, but he ended up a baker."

About Druthers

“Druthers” is formed in English out of the expression “I’d rather.”

Did you Know?

One of the earliest instances of the word “druther” is in Mark Twain’s 1876 novel “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” in which a character says, “I druther,” in place of “I’d rather.” The word made other appearances in the early 19th century, suggesting it was already widely used by that time. The term is strongly associated with the South, where the expression “drather” was also common in the 19th century. Over time, “druthers” became a noun on its own.