(1)
—used as an interrogative expressing inquiry about the identity, nature, or
value of an object or matter
What is this?
What is wealth without friends?
What does he earn?
What hath God wrought?
(2)
—often used to ask for repetition of an utterance or part of an utterance not
properly heard or understood
You said what?
b(1)
—used as an interrogative expressing inquiry about the character, nature,
occupation, position, or role of a person
What do you think I am, a fool?
What is she, that all our swains commend her?—William Shakespeare
(2)
archaic : who sense 1
—used as an interrogative expressing inquiry about the identity of a person
—used as an exclamation expressing surprise or excitement and frequently
introducing a question
What, no breakfast?
—used in expressions directing attention to a statement that the speaker is
about to make
you know what
e(1)
—used at the end of a question to express inquiry about additional
possibilities
Is it raining, or snowing, or what?
(2)
—used with or at the end of a question usually in expectation of agreement
Is this exciting, or what?
chiefly British
—used at the end of an utterance as a form of tag question
A clever play, what?
: the thing or things that
What you need is a vacation.
What angered us was the tone of the article.
: that which : the one or ones that
no income but what he gets from his writings
—sometimes used in reference to a clause or phrase that is yet to come or is
not yet complete
gave also, what is more valuable, understanding
: whatever sense 1a
say what you will
obsolete : whoever
4
chiefly dialectal : that entry 4 sense 1, which sense 3, who sense 3
what
2 of 3
adverb
: in what respect : how
What does he care?
—used to introduce prepositional phrases in parallel construction or a
prepositional phrase that expresses cause and usually has more than one
object
—used principally before phrases beginning with with
what with unemployment increasing
… what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows,
and what with poverty, I am custom-shrunk.—William Shakespeare
obsolete : why
what
3 of 3
adjective
—used as an interrogative expressing inquiry about the identity, nature, or
value of a person, object, or matter
What minerals do we export?
: how remarkable or striking for good or bad qualities
—used especially in exclamatory utterances and dependent clauses
What mountains!
Remember what fun we had?
What a suggestion!
What a charming girl!
: the … that : as much or as many … as
rescued what survivors they found
b(1)
: whatever sense 1a
(2)
: any
ornament of what description soever
Phrases
what for
: for what purpose or reason : why
—usually used with the other words of a question between what and for
What did you do that for?
except when used alone
: harsh treatment especially by blows or by a sharp reprimand
… gave him what for in violent Spanish …—New Yorker
what have you
: whatnot
novels, plays, short stories, travelogues, and what have you—Haldeen
Braddy
what if
: what will or would be the result if
: what does it matter if
So what if he doesn't like it.
what of
: what is the situation with respect to
: what importance can be assigned to
what's more
: in addition : furthermore
what's what
: the true state of things
knows what's what when it comes to fashion
what though
: what does it matter if
What though the rose have prickles, yet 'tis plucked …—William Shakespeare
Examples of what in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show
current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those
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Adverb
Read his full remarks from the Phoenix rally below: TRUMP: What a crowd.—
Time, 23 Aug. 2017
Word History
Etymology
Pronoun
Middle English, from Old English hwæt, neuter of hwā who — more at who
First Known Use
Pronoun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)
Adverb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Adjective
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of what was before the 12th century
See more words from the same century
Phrases Containing what
at what price
(be) careful what you wish for
but what
come what may
doesn't know what he's talking about
do what with (something)
for what it's worth
get what's coming to one
have what it takes
I don't know what the world is coming to
if one knows what's good for one
if you know what I mean
Rhymes for what
but
butt
cut
glut
gut
hut
jut
mutt
nut
putt
rut
shut
