What

/wɒt/ pronoun

Definition

What is used to ask for information about something, to identify or describe it.

Etymology

“What” comes from Old English “hwæt,” from Proto-Germanic “hwat,” part of an ancient family of question words. Similar forms appear in many Indo-European languages.

Kelly Says

The tiny word “what” can open doors to definitions, reasons, and even emotions: “What happened?”, “What is love?”, “What now?” It’s one of the main tools your brain uses to turn confusion into knowledge.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.