whether

B1 Topic:Grammar & Function Words

US /ˈwɛðə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Homophones

weather /ˈwɛð.ɚ/ wether /ˈwɛð.ɚ/

Freq #904

Meanings

1

conj
Used to introduce a choice or doubt between two or more possibilities.

I'm not sure whether to stay or leave.
2

conj
Used to say that something is true no matter which of two things happens.

He's coming, whether you like it or not.

Thesaurus

Word family

Related forms either neitherwhethersoever

Etymology

From Middle English whether, whather, from Old English hweþer, hwæþer, from Proto-West Germanic *hwaþar, from Proto-Germanic *hwaþeraz, comparative form of *hwaz (“who”). Cognate with North Frisian weđer (“if, whether”), German weder (“neither”), Swedish var (“each, every”), Icelandic hvor (“each of two, which of two”).

*kʷ- Proto-Indo-European whether Middle English hweþer Old English *hwaþar Proto-West Germanic *hwaþeraz Proto-Germanic

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Topics

Grammar & Function Words

External links

# whether

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** conj
**IPA (US):** /ˈwɛðə(ɹ)/
**Frequency rank:** 904

## Meanings
1. Used to introduce a choice or doubt between two or more possibilities.
2. Used to say that something is true no matter which of two things happens.

## Examples
- I'm not sure whether to stay or leave.
- He's coming, whether you like it or not.

## Related Forms
- either
- neither
- whethersoever

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *kʷ-
- Root: whether
- Root: hweþer
- Root: *hwaþar
- Root: *hwaþeraz

## Etymology
From Middle English whether, whather, from Old English hweþer, hwæþer, from Proto-West Germanic *hwaþar, from Proto-Germanic *hwaþeraz, comparative form of *hwaz (“who”). Cognate with North Frisian weđer (“if, whether”), German weder (“neither”), Swedish var (“each, every”), Icelandic hvor (“each of two, which of two”).

## AI Etymology
Whether is from Middle English whether, whather, from Old English hweþer, hwæþer, from Proto-West Germanic *hwaþar, from Proto-Germanic *hwaþeraz, comparative form of *hwaz (“who”). Cognate with North Frisian weđer (“if, whether”), German weder (“neither”), Swedish var (“each, every”), Icelandic hvor (“each of two, which of two”). Important historical forms include Proto-Indo-European *kʷ-, Middle English whether, Old English hweþer, Proto-West Germanic *hwaþar, and Proto-Germanic *hwaþeraz. In present-day use, it can mean used to introduce a choice or doubt between two or more possibilities, or used to say that something is true no matter which of two things happens.

## Topics
- Grammar & Function Words

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