whether
English · Thesaurus
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Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
whether
- /ˈwɛðə(ɹ)/
- /ˈʍɛðə(ɹ)/
- [ˈwɛɾə]
Sounds like weather, wether (wine–whine merger) · Rhymes with -ɛðə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
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”).
conjunction
- Introduces a simple indirect question (with no correlative). Whether we'll be on time I'm unsure.
- Indicates doubt between possibilities (usually with correlative or). He chose the correct answer, but whether by luck or by skill I don't know.
- Introduces a disjunctive adverbial clause qualifying the main clause (with correlative or). He's coming, whether you like it or not.
- Introduces a direct question between alternatives (often with correlative or). whether ys it easyer to saye to the sicke of the palsey, thy synnes ar forgeven the: or to saye, aryse, take uppe thy beed and walke?
determiner
- Which of two. But to whether side fortune would have been partial could not be determined.
pronoun
- Which of two. The debite answered and sayde unto them: whether of the twayne will ye that I lett loosse unto you?
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: advisability, ali, along, alongside, already, although, appropriateness, assuming, authorities, because, both, case, character, concerning, consider, dalli
Translations
Every language
conj if, whether or not
| Español | si |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | -지 -ji, -지 어떤지 -ji eotteonji |
| 日本語 | か ka, かどうか -ka dō ka, か否か -ka ina ka |
| 中文 | 還是 /还是 háishi, ...不 ...bù... |
| Português | se |
| Français | si |
| Deutsch | ob |
| Italiano | se |
| Română | dacă |
| Русский | и́ли íli, и́ли ... и́ли íli ... íli |
| Tiếng Việt | dù ... hay |
| العربية | هَلْ hal |
| עברית | באם, אם ím |
conj introducing indirect questions
| Español | si |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | -는지 -neunji, -ᆫ지 -nji |
| 日本語 | かどうか ...ka dō ka, か ka |
| 中文 | 是否 shìfǒu |
| Português | se |
| Français | si, que, soit, si oui ou non |
| Deutsch | ob |
| Italiano | se, indipendentemente |
| Română | dacă |
| Русский | ли li |
| Tiếng Việt | có ... không |
| العربية | إِذَا مَا ʔiḏā mā, إِذَا ʔiḏā, هَلْ hal |
| עברית | האם, אם ím |
conj introducing adverbial clause; no matter whether or not
| Español | o... o, ya sea... o, bien... o, o bien... o bien, bien... bien, ahora... ahora |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | -든지 -deunji |
| 中文 | 是否 shìfǒu |
| हिन्दी | चाहे cāhe |
| Português | quer |
| Français | que |
| Deutsch | ob |
| Italiano | sia che ... sia che |
| Română | în orice caz |
| Русский | ли li, и́ли íli |
Talk about this word "whether." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/whether. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. whether. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/whether "whether." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/whether.Cite this
@misc{whether_2026,
title = {whether},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/whether},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
