what

Pronunciation

• (AU)} IPA ^(key): /wɔt/, SAMPA: /wOt/
• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ʍɒt/ or /wɒt/, SAMPA: /WQt/ or /wQt/
• (US) IPA ^(key): /wʌt/ or /ʍʌt/, SAMPA: /wVt/ or /WVt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

Homophones

• watt (in accents with the wine-whine merger)
• wot (in accents with the wine-whine merger)

Pronoun

Pronoun what

1. (question) What is used to ask for information about things.

   What did you see?

   What do you mean?

2. (question) What is used to add a clause with more information.

   I don't know what you mean.

   I'll tell you what to do.

   I'll see what I can do to help.

3. (relative) The thing(s) which: a small amount of something.
   • Synonyms: anything and whatever

   Take what you can find.

   What you made was great.

   I am what I am.

   The city is not what it used to be.

   They kept blaming him for what he had done.

Determiner

Determiner what

1. (question) What is used to ask about the member(s) of a group.

   What book did you buy?

2. (relative) What is used to talk about the member(s) of a group.

   What gifts you can give are appreciated.

   What ideas he has to offer are likely to be half-baked.

   I gave him what money I had.

Adjective

Positive what

Comparative none

Superlative none

1. (exclamation) used to show that you feel strongly about something.

   What a great book this is!

Related words

• whatever