How Do You Spell WHATSOEVER?

Pronunciation: [wɒtsˌə͡ʊˈɛvə] (IPA)

The word "whatsoever" can be a bit tricky to spell. It is pronounced /wɒtsəʊˈɛvə/, with a stress on the second syllable. The first part of the word is "what," and the second part is "soever." The spelling of "soever" comes from the Old English word "swāsā" meaning "all that, everything." The "w" at the beginning of the word was added later, becoming "whatsoever," which means "at all" or "in any way." Despite its pronunciation, the word is spelled as one word without a hyphen.

Meaning and Definition
Top Common Misspellings
Other Common Misspellings
Etymology
Basic Check Advanced Check

WHATSOEVER Meaning and Definition

  1. Whatsoever is an adverb that functions as an emphasiser, intensifier, or generaliser in a sentence. It is usually used in negative statements or questions to reinforce the sense of negation, implying the absence of any kind, degree, amount, or extent of something. In essence, it serves to emphasize the lack of any sort of specific thing or quality.

    This term also emphasizes the absoluteness of a situation or condition, indicating that no exceptions or limitations exist. It adds a sense of comprehensiveness and inclusivity to a statement, suggesting that there are no restrictions or constraints that apply. It is often paired with negative words or phrases such as "no," "none," "not," or "without."

    In a broader sense, whatsoever can function as a generalizer, implying that something applies to the fullest extent without exceptions, limitations, or qualifications. It reinforces the all-encompassing or all-embracing nature of a statement by indicating that it encompasses every possible aspect or aspect.

    Overall, whatsoever emphasizes the absence, negation, or complete inclusiveness of something, serving as an intensifier or generalizer. Its usage helps to underscore the universality, unqualified nature, or unrestricted character of a statement, adding emphasis and clarity to the intended meaning.

  2. Anything soever which; the whole that.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for WHATSOEVER *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for WHATSOEVER

Etymology of WHATSOEVER

The word "whatsoever" is derived from the Middle English phrase "what so ever", which dates back to the 14th century. It is a combination of three separate words: "what", "so", and "ever".

"What" can be traced back to the Old English word "hwæt" meaning "who, which, what", while "so" comes from the Old English word "swā", indicating "so, in that way". Lastly, "ever" originates from the Old English word "ǣfre" meaning "ever, always".

Over time, the three words gradually fused together to form "whatsoever", which essentially means "whatever, no matter what". It is frequently used in modern English to emphasize a lack of restriction or qualification.

Infographic

Correct spelling for whatsoever
Add the infographic to your website: