Search "who" in:
Browse words next to:
Browse the Dictionary:
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
#

who

2 entries found.

Main Entry:
who 
          Listen to the pronunciation of who
Pronunciation:
\ˈhü, ü\
Function:
pronoun
Etymology:
Middle English, from Old English hwā; akin to Old High German hwer, interrog. pron., who, Latin quis, Greek tis, Latin qui, relative pron., who
Date:
before 12th century
1 : what or which person or persons —used as an interrogative <who was elected?><find out who they are> —used by speakers on all educational levels and by many reputable writers, though disapproved by some grammarians, as the object of a verb or a following preposition <who did I see but a Spanish lady — Padraic Colum><do not know who the message is from — G. K. Chesterton> 2 : the person or persons that : whoever 3 —used as a function word to introduce a relative clause ; used especially in reference to persons <my father, who was a lawyer> but also in reference to groups <a generation who had known nothing but war — R. B. West> or to animals <dogs who…fawn all over tramps — Nigel Balchin> or to inanimate objects especially with the implication that the reference is really to a person <earlier sources who maintain a Davidic ancestry — F. M. Cross> ; used by speakers on all educational levels and by many reputable writers, though disapproved by some grammarians, as the object of a verb or a following preposition <a character who we are meant to pity — Times Literary Supplement>
usage see whom, that
as who
archaic : as one that : as if someone
as who should say
archaic : so to speak
who is who or who's who or who was who
: the identity of or the noteworthy facts about each of a number of persons
Learn more about "who" and related topics at Britannica.com


Share this entry:    Share this word with digg Share this word with reddit Share this word with technorati Share this word with del.icio.us Share this word with furl Share this word with stumbleupon Share this word with google Share this word with blinklist Share this word with newsvine Share this word with facebook Share this word with myspace

Link to this page:   


Cite this page: