whatsoever

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle English whatsoever. By surface analysis, what +‎ so +‎ ever.

Pronunciation

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  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˌwɒtsəʊˈɛvə(ɹ)/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˌ(h)wʌtsoʊˈɛvɚ/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛvə(ɹ)

Determiner

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whatsoever

  1. (formal or literary) Whatever.
    The building may be used for whatsoever purpose the tenant desires.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. [], London: [] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker []; [a]nd by Robert Boulter []; [a]nd Matthias Walker, [], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: [], London: Basil Montagu Pickering [], 1873, →OCLC, line 587:
      [] In whatſoever ſhape he lurk, []

Usage notes

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The word is sometimes divided by tmesis: “What things soever ye desire”. (King James Version, Mark 11:24)

Adverb

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whatsoever (not comparable)

  1. In any way; at all; whatever.
    He gave me no answer whatsoever.
    • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 1:
      In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned.
    • 2019, Dierdre Nicole Green, “'I'm the Bishop!' and other Reflections”, in A Place to Belong, Deseret Book, →ISBN, page 141:
      ...my father's role as the ecclesiastical leader of our ward gave me no license whatsoever to expect obedience from my agemates?

Translations

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Pronoun

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whatsoever

  1. (archaic or literary) Whatever.
    Whatsoever you seek, you will find.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, [] (King James Version), London: [] Robert Barker, [], →OCLC, Genesis 31:16:
      Whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.
    • c. 1613–1621, Francis Bacon, The judicial charge upon the commission of Oyer and Terminer held for the verge of the Court
      [] I must require you to use diligence in presenting especially those purloinings and imbezlements, which are of plate, vessel, or whatsoever within the King's house.

References

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