"whichever" meaning in English

See whichever in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Determiner

IPA: /wɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/ [General-American], /ʍɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/ [General-American] Audio: en-us-whichever.ogg [US]
Rhymes: -ɛvə(ɹ) Etymology: From Middle English qwichever, whiche ever, whiche evere, which ever, which evere; equivalent to which + ever. Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|qwichever}} Middle English qwichever, {{m|enm|whiche ever}} whiche ever, {{m|enm|whiche evere}} whiche evere, {{m|enm|which ever}} which ever, {{m|enm|which evere}} which evere, {{compound|en|which|ever}} which + ever Head templates: {{head|en|determiner|head=}} whichever, {{en-det}} whichever
  1. (interrogative) Which ever; emphatic form of 'which'. Tags: interrogative
    Sense id: en-whichever-en-det-GK3XhPnu
  2. Regardless of the ... that; no matter which.
    Sense id: en-whichever-en-det-RkgKIbse Categories (other): English determiners, English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English determiners: 1 30 6 9 1 32 8 6 8 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 1 30 7 9 1 29 7 8 9 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 1 43 6 7 1 22 7 7 7
  3. Any or either ... that; the ... that.
    Sense id: en-whichever-en-det-EBZWvqM5
  4. According to or depending upon which.
    Sense id: en-whichever-en-det-keSi9f-f
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: whichsoever Derived forms: whichever way one slices it

Pronoun

IPA: /wɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/ [General-American], /ʍɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/ [General-American] Audio: en-us-whichever.ogg [US]
Rhymes: -ɛvə(ɹ) Etymology: From Middle English qwichever, whiche ever, whiche evere, which ever, which evere; equivalent to which + ever. Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|qwichever}} Middle English qwichever, {{m|enm|whiche ever}} whiche ever, {{m|enm|whiche evere}} whiche evere, {{m|enm|which ever}} which ever, {{m|enm|which evere}} which evere, {{compound|en|which|ever}} which + ever Head templates: {{head|en|pronoun|||||||||||||||||||head=}} whichever, {{en-pron}} whichever
  1. (interrogative) Which ever; emphatic form of 'which'. Tags: interrogative
    Sense id: en-whichever-en-pron-GK3XhPnu
  2. Irrespective of the one(s) that; no matter which one(s).
    Sense id: en-whichever-en-pron-El575Gdq Categories (other): English determiners, English entries with incorrect language header, English interrogative pronouns, English pronouns Disambiguation of English determiners: 1 30 6 9 1 32 8 6 8 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 1 30 7 9 1 29 7 8 9 Disambiguation of English interrogative pronouns: 4 21 7 7 6 27 11 8 10 Disambiguation of English pronouns: 0 19 7 6 5 30 11 9 13
  3. Any or either one(s) that; the one(s) that.
    Sense id: en-whichever-en-pron-Z6YmFONS
  4. (informal) Any or either one(s). Tags: informal
    Sense id: en-whichever-en-pron-3bNzTYOZ
  5. According to or depending upon which one(s).
    Sense id: en-whichever-en-pron-EmPj03Lh

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for whichever meaning in English (7.1kB)

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "whichever way one slices it"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "qwichever"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English qwichever",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "whiche ever"
      },
      "expansion": "whiche ever",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "whiche evere"
      },
      "expansion": "whiche evere",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "which ever"
      },
      "expansion": "which ever",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "which evere"
      },
      "expansion": "which evere",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "which",
        "3": "ever"
      },
      "expansion": "which + ever",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English qwichever, whiche ever, whiche evere, which ever, which evere; equivalent to which + ever.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "determiner",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "whichever",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "whichever",
      "name": "en-det"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "det",
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Good heavens! Whichever button did you press to make that happen?!"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Which ever; emphatic form of 'which'."
      ],
      "id": "en-whichever-en-det-GK3XhPnu",
      "links": [
        [
          "Which",
          "which"
        ],
        [
          "ever",
          "ever"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(interrogative) Which ever; emphatic form of 'which'."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "interrogative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "1 30 6 9 1 32 8 6 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English determiners",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "1 30 7 9 1 29 7 8 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "1 43 6 7 1 22 7 7 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "It won't work, whichever buttons you press.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "Whichever book you borrow, be sure to return it to the library on time.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Regardless of the ... that; no matter which."
      ],
      "id": "en-whichever-en-det-RkgKIbse"
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Choose whichever card you like.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "Borrow whichever books interest you.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "I'll buy whichever shirt is cheapest.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Any or either ... that; the ... that."
      ],
      "id": "en-whichever-en-det-EBZWvqM5",
      "links": [
        [
          "Any",
          "any"
        ],
        [
          "either",
          "either"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I'll buy the red shirt or the blue shirt, whichever one is cheaper.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "If the work is of joint authorship, the copyright expires 50 years after the death of the author who first dies, or upon the death of the author who dies last, whichever period is longer.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "According to or depending upon which."
      ],
      "id": "en-whichever-en-det-keSi9f-f"
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/wɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ʍɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛvə(ɹ)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-whichever.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c5/En-us-whichever.ogg/En-us-whichever.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/En-us-whichever.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "word": "whichsoever"
    }
  ],
  "word": "whichever"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "qwichever"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English qwichever",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "whiche ever"
      },
      "expansion": "whiche ever",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "whiche evere"
      },
      "expansion": "whiche evere",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "which ever"
      },
      "expansion": "which ever",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "which evere"
      },
      "expansion": "which evere",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "which",
        "3": "ever"
      },
      "expansion": "which + ever",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English qwichever, whiche ever, whiche evere, which ever, which evere; equivalent to which + ever.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "10": "",
        "11": "",
        "12": "",
        "13": "",
        "14": "",
        "15": "",
        "16": "",
        "17": "",
        "18": "",
        "19": "",
        "2": "pronoun",
        "20": "",
        "3": "",
        "4": "",
        "5": "",
        "6": "",
        "7": "",
        "8": "",
        "9": "",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "whichever",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "whichever",
      "name": "en-pron"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "pron",
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "These chocolates all look delicious. Whichever shall I choose?"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Which ever; emphatic form of 'which'."
      ],
      "id": "en-whichever-en-pron-GK3XhPnu",
      "links": [
        [
          "Which",
          "which"
        ],
        [
          "ever",
          "ever"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(interrogative) Which ever; emphatic form of 'which'."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "interrogative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "1 30 6 9 1 32 8 6 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English determiners",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "1 30 7 9 1 29 7 8 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "4 21 7 7 6 27 11 8 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English interrogative pronouns",
          "parents": [
            "Interrogative pronouns",
            "Interrogative pro-forms",
            "Pronouns",
            "Pro-forms",
            "Lemmas",
            "Terms by semantic function"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "0 19 7 6 5 30 11 9 13",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English pronouns",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Whichever you pick, be content with it.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Irrespective of the one(s) that; no matter which one(s)."
      ],
      "id": "en-whichever-en-pron-El575Gdq"
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I have a few books; please borrow whichever interest you.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "They have lots of shirts, but I'll buy whichever is cheapest.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "Whichever of you gets here first will get the prize.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Any or either one(s) that; the one(s) that."
      ],
      "id": "en-whichever-en-pron-Z6YmFONS",
      "links": [
        [
          "Any",
          "any"
        ],
        [
          "either",
          "either"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I don't mind which you have. Take whichever."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Any or either one(s)."
      ],
      "id": "en-whichever-en-pron-3bNzTYOZ",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) Any or either one(s)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I'll buy the red shirt or the blue shirt, whichever is cheaper.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "According to or depending upon which one(s)."
      ],
      "id": "en-whichever-en-pron-EmPj03Lh"
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/wɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ʍɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛvə(ɹ)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-whichever.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c5/En-us-whichever.ogg/En-us-whichever.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/En-us-whichever.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "whichever"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English 3-syllable words",
    "English compound terms",
    "English determiners",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English interrogative pronouns",
    "English lemmas",
    "English pronouns",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛvə(ɹ)"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "whichever way one slices it"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "qwichever"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English qwichever",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "whiche ever"
      },
      "expansion": "whiche ever",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "whiche evere"
      },
      "expansion": "whiche evere",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "which ever"
      },
      "expansion": "which ever",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "which evere"
      },
      "expansion": "which evere",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "which",
        "3": "ever"
      },
      "expansion": "which + ever",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English qwichever, whiche ever, whiche evere, which ever, which evere; equivalent to which + ever.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "determiner",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "whichever",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "whichever",
      "name": "en-det"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "det",
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Good heavens! Whichever button did you press to make that happen?!"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Which ever; emphatic form of 'which'."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Which",
          "which"
        ],
        [
          "ever",
          "ever"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(interrogative) Which ever; emphatic form of 'which'."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "interrogative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "It won't work, whichever buttons you press.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "Whichever book you borrow, be sure to return it to the library on time.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Regardless of the ... that; no matter which."
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Choose whichever card you like.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "Borrow whichever books interest you.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "I'll buy whichever shirt is cheapest.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Any or either ... that; the ... that."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Any",
          "any"
        ],
        [
          "either",
          "either"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I'll buy the red shirt or the blue shirt, whichever one is cheaper.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "If the work is of joint authorship, the copyright expires 50 years after the death of the author who first dies, or upon the death of the author who dies last, whichever period is longer.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "According to or depending upon which."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/wɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ʍɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛvə(ɹ)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-whichever.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c5/En-us-whichever.ogg/En-us-whichever.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/En-us-whichever.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "whichsoever"
    }
  ],
  "word": "whichever"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English 3-syllable words",
    "English compound terms",
    "English determiners",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English interrogative pronouns",
    "English lemmas",
    "English pronouns",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "Rhymes:English/ɛvə(ɹ)"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "qwichever"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English qwichever",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "whiche ever"
      },
      "expansion": "whiche ever",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "whiche evere"
      },
      "expansion": "whiche evere",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "which ever"
      },
      "expansion": "which ever",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "which evere"
      },
      "expansion": "which evere",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "which",
        "3": "ever"
      },
      "expansion": "which + ever",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English qwichever, whiche ever, whiche evere, which ever, which evere; equivalent to which + ever.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "10": "",
        "11": "",
        "12": "",
        "13": "",
        "14": "",
        "15": "",
        "16": "",
        "17": "",
        "18": "",
        "19": "",
        "2": "pronoun",
        "20": "",
        "3": "",
        "4": "",
        "5": "",
        "6": "",
        "7": "",
        "8": "",
        "9": "",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "whichever",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "whichever",
      "name": "en-pron"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "pron",
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "These chocolates all look delicious. Whichever shall I choose?"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Which ever; emphatic form of 'which'."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Which",
          "which"
        ],
        [
          "ever",
          "ever"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(interrogative) Which ever; emphatic form of 'which'."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "interrogative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Whichever you pick, be content with it.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Irrespective of the one(s) that; no matter which one(s)."
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I have a few books; please borrow whichever interest you.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "They have lots of shirts, but I'll buy whichever is cheapest.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "Whichever of you gets here first will get the prize.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Any or either one(s) that; the one(s) that."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Any",
          "any"
        ],
        [
          "either",
          "either"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English informal terms"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I don't mind which you have. Take whichever."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Any or either one(s)."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(informal) Any or either one(s)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I'll buy the red shirt or the blue shirt, whichever is cheaper.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "According to or depending upon which one(s)."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/wɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ʍɪt͡ʃˈɛvɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɛvə(ɹ)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-whichever.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c5/En-us-whichever.ogg/En-us-whichever.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/En-us-whichever.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "whichever"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-24 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (82c8ff9 and f4967a5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.