whoever
UK: huːˈevə | US: huːˈevər
Definition
pron. any person who; no matter who
pron. used to emphasize a question about identity
Structure
who <interrogative/relative pronoun>ever <at any time>
Etymology
The word "whoever" combines "who" (Old English hwā, meaning "what person") and "ever" (Old English ǣfre, meaning "always/at any time"). It emerged in Middle English as a reinforced form of "who," emphasizing generality or indefiniteness ("any person who"). The construction mirrors similar compounds like "whatever" and "wherever," reflecting a pattern of combining interrogative pronouns with "ever" to express open-endedness or universality.
Examples
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