Meaning

adjective not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances

adverb near in time or place or relationship

verb move towards

originFrom Middle English nere, ner, from Old English nēar (“nearer”, comparative of nēah (“nigh”), the superlative would become next), influenced by Old Norse nær (“near”), both originating from Proto-Germanic *nēhwiz (“nearer”), comparative of the adverb *nēhw (“near”), from the adjective *nēhwaz, ultimately from Pre-Proto-Germanic *h₂nḗḱwos, a lengthened-grade adjective derived from…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0