where

UK: weə(r) | US: wer

Definition

  1. adv. at or in what place

  2. adv. to what place or situation

  3. conj. in or at the place which

Structure
wh <interrogative>ere <place>wh <interrogative>ere <place>
Etymology

where = wh<interrogative> + ere<place>

  • wh<interrogative>: Old English hw-, a prefix used in question words (e.g., who, what).
  • ere<place>: From Old English ǣr (earlier form of here), related to location or position.

Etymology Origin:
The word where traces back to Old English hwǣr, combining the interrogative prefix hw- (shared with who, what) and ǣr, an archaic term for "place." Over time, ǣr evolved into here in modern English, but its root meaning persists in where. The word’s logic reflects a direct question about location, maintaining its core function across centuries.

Examples

  1. Where did you put the keys?

  2. Do you know where the meeting is?

  3. This is the town where I grew up.

  4. Where are you heading after work?

  5. She asked where the nearest hospital was.