Why Definition

wī, hwī
whys
adverb
For what reason, cause, or purpose? with what motive?
Why did he go? he told her why he went.
Webster's New World
Wiktionary
conjuntion
Because of which; on account of which.
He knows of no reason why you shouldn't go.
Webster's New World
The reason for which.
Do you know why he went? this is why he went.
Webster's New World
noun
whys
The reason, cause, motive, purpose, etc.
Never mind the why and wherefore.
Webster's New World
A difficult problem or question.
American Heritage

(UK, dialect) A young heifer.

Wiktionary
interjection
Used to express surprise, impatience, indignation, etc.
Webster's New World
Used as an expletive, to preface a remark.
Webster's New World
idiom
why not
  • all right; it's acceptable
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Why

Noun

Singular:
why
Plural:
whies, whys

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Why

Origin of Why

  • From Middle English, from Old English hwȳ, hwÄ« (“why", instrumental case of hwæt (“what"), literally “by what, for what"), from Proto-Germanic *hwÄ« (“by what, how"), from Proto-Indo-European *kÊ·ey, locative of *kʷís (“who"). Cognate with Middle High German wiu (“how, why"), Danish and Swedish hvi (“why"), Faroese and Icelandic hví (“why"), Latin cui (“to whom", dative case of quÄ« (“who, how, why")), Ancient Greek πει (pei, “where"). Compare Old English þȳ (“because, since, on that account, therefore, then", literally “by that, for that"). See thy.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English from Old English hwȳ kwo- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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