- Main Entry:
- 1whole
- Pronunciation:
-
\ˈhōl\
- Function:
- adjective
- Etymology:
- Middle English hool healthy, unhurt, entire, from Old English hāl; akin to Old High German heil healthy, unhurt, Old Norse heill, Old Church Slavic cělŭ
- Date:
- before 12th century
1 a (1): free of wound or injury : unhurt (2): recovered from a wound or injury : restored (3): being healed <whole of an ancient evil, I sleep sound — A. E. Housman> b: free of defect or impairment : intact c: physically sound and healthy : free of disease or deformity d: mentally or emotionally sound2: having all its proper parts or components : complete, unmodified <whole milk> <a whole egg>3 a: constituting the total sum or undiminished entirety : entire <owns the whole island> b: each or all of the <took part in the whole series of athletic events>4 a: constituting an undivided unit : unbroken, uncut <a whole roast suckling pig> b: directed to one end : concentrated <promised to give it his whole attention>5 a: seemingly complete or total <the whole idea is to help, not hinder> b: very great in quantity, extent, or scope <feels a whole lot better now>6: constituting the entirety of a person's nature or development <educate the whole student>7: having the same father and mother <whole brother>
— whole·ness noun
synonyms whole,
entire,
total,
all mean including everything or everyone without exception.
whole implies that nothing has been omitted, ignored, abated, or taken away
<read the whole book>.
entire may suggest a state of completeness or perfection to which nothing can be added
<the entire population was wiped out>.
total implies that everything has been counted, weighed, measured, or considered
<the total number of people present>.
all may equal
whole,
entire, or
total <all proceeds go to charity>.
