what
English meaning: What
Definition
Used to ask for information about something.
Example
“What did you have for breakfast before you left the house today?”
Another example: “What a beautiful surprise this is!”
Usage — When, Where & How
Everyday, very common; an interrogative and relative pronoun asking about things ('What is that?'), and an exclamation ('What a day!'). Used of things and ideas, not normally of people.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Old English "hwaet," related to Latin "quod."
Related Words
Common Collocations
- what is
- what if
- so what
- what about
- what time
Word Forms
what (pron/det)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B