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Added 9 October 2026

whatever

/ʍɒtˈɛv.ə/ noun

Categories: Describing WordsEveryday Words

In Latin: quisquis, quidquid Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about whatever at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. A thing or person whose actual name is unknown or forgotten.

determiner

  1. What ever; emphatic form of 'what'.
    Good heavens! Whatever time is it?!
  2. Regardless of the ... that; for any ... that.
    Whatever your choice, there will be consequences.
  3. Any ... that; of no matter what type or kind that.
    Whatever doubts I had were quickly dispelled.

pronoun

  1. What ever; emphasised form of 'what', used to ask which thing, event, circumstance, etc.
    Whatever do you mean?
  2. Regardless of anything that.
    Whatever he does, he will still lose the game.
  3. Anything that; all that.
    Do whatever works.

adverb

  1. At all; in any way; whatsoever.
    There is no point whatever in going on with this discussion.
  2. In what way; to what extent.
    Whatever does it matter now?

Origin

From Middle English whatever. By surface analysis, what + -ever.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Related Words: whatsoeveranysomeanywaysanyhowanywaywhatthisthatanythingbriefall

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