1 druthers | Definition of druthers
Logo
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

druthers

plural noun
druth·​ers | \ ˈdrÉ™-tÍŸhÉ™rz How to pronounce druthers (audio) \

Definition of druthers

dialect
: free choice : preference —used especially in the phrase if one had one's druthers
Synonyms Did You Know? Learn More about druthers

Keep scrolling for more

Did You Know?

Druther is an alteration of "would rather." "Any way you druther have it, that is the way I druther have it," says Huck to Tom in Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer, Detective. This example of metanalysis (the shifting of a sound from one constituent of a phrase to another) had likely been around for some time in everyday speech when Twain put those words in Huck's mouth. By then, in fact, druthers had already become a plural noun, so Tom could reply, "There ain't any druthers about it, Huck Finn; nobody said anything about druthers." Druthers is essentially a dialectal term and it tends to suggest an informality of tone, but in current use it doesn't necessarily suggest a lack of sophistication or education.

First Known Use of druthers

1870, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for druthers

druther, alteration of would rather

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for druthers

druthers

noun
How to pronounce druthers (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of druthers

US, informal : the power or opportunity to choose

More from Merriam-Webster on druthers

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for druthers

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!