This article is devoted to the etymology of the Old Russian word ‘or’ and the description of its parallels in the Lithuanian language. Based on the results of an analysis of etymological and explanatory dictionaries of the Russian and Lithuanian languages, the semantics and origin of words related to ‘or’ are described. Special attention is paid to contexts with the word ‘or’ found in Old Russian and Lithuanian texts and Russian dialects.
The article presents new usages of the word ‘or’ from Old Russian and manuscripts. The highlighted features of semantics made it possible to find the derivational base of the word ‘or’ based on the semes preserved in its semantic structure, as well as in words of the Lithuanian language that go back to the same root as the noun ‘or’; seemes common to these formations are highlighted.