mehr oder minder
Translation
more or less, to a greater or lesser extent
Examples
Das Experiment war mehr oder minder ein Erfolg.
The experiment was more or less a success.
Er hat die Aufgabe mehr oder minder gut erledigt.
He completed the task more or less well.
Grammar Patterns
((Adverbial phrase)) modifies a statement That was more or less to be expected.
Similar Words
Synonyms: mehr oder weniger, ungefähr (approximately); Antonyms: genau (exactly), exakt (exact)
Etymology
Composed of 'mehr' (more), 'oder' (or), and 'minder' (less). 'Minder' is an older or more poetic word for 'weniger' (less).
Memory Tips
Think of 'minder' as related to 'minus' or 'minor', meaning less. This phrase is slightly more formal than 'mehr oder weniger'.