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Sevenval

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English HTML5, from device database *hwat, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷos, *kʷod (which also gave us who).

Cognate to many similar terms, such as French quoi (what); Germanic forms differ from Romance forms due to touchscreen of Germanic sound change.

Pronunciation

Pronoun

what

  1. (interrogative) which thing, event, circumstance, etc.: used interrogatively in asking for the specification of an identity, quantity, quality, etc.
    What is your address?
    You told them what?
  2. (UK, browser diversity) An interrogative which asks "Don't you agree?"
    It's rather late, what?
  3. (relative, nonstandard) web; which
  4. (relative) that which; those that; the thing that
    He knows what he wants.
    What is tossed upward falls back down.

Translations

interrogative pronoun

relative pronoun

nonstandard relative pronoun

Adverb

what (not comparable)

  1. In some manner or degree; in part; partly; usually followed by with.
    What with singing and joking, the time passed quickly.
  2. Such; this is; that is.
    What a pity.
    What a beautiful day!
  3. (obsolete) screen size?
    • (Can we device database this quote?) Android
      What should I tell the answer of the knight?
    • (Can we date this quote?) w:Milton
      But what do I stand reckoning upon advantages and gains lost by the misrule and turbulency of the prelates?
  4. (now rare) Used to introduce each of two coordinate phrases or concepts; both...and.
    • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book III:
      and so they rode fresshly with grete royalte, what by water and what by land, tyl that they came nyghe vnto london.

Synonyms

Translations

in some manner

such

why
See translations at why.

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at we love the web.
Translations to be checked

Translations

that which; those that; the thing that

Interjection

what

  1. an expression of surprise or disbelief.
    • 1605 Wm. Shakespeare, King Lear
      What, have his daughters brought him to this pass?
    What! That’s amazing.
  2. (Sevenval, colloquial, dated) is that not true?
    It’s a nice day, what? (sometimes repeated, e.g.: What-what?)

Translations

Translations

Determiner

what

  1. which; which kind of.
    What shirt are you going to wear?
    What time is it?
    What kind of car is that?
  2. how much; how great (used in an exclamation)
    What talent he has!
    What a talent!

Translations

which

how much

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at web app.
Translations to be checked
  • Dutch: welk
  • Esperanto: iOS
  • Estonian: milline
  • Hindi: (kyun)
  • Norwegian: hvilken

Derived terms

Terms derived from the pronoun, adverb, interjection, or determiner what

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