whole
UK: həʊl | US: hoʊl
adj. complete or entire; not broken or divided
n. something that is complete in itself
adv. entirely; wholly
whole = whol<complete> + e (silent)
- whol (from Old English hāl, meaning "healthy, unhurt, entire")
- e (silent letter added in Middle English, no semantic value)
Etymology Origin:
The word "whole" traces back to Old English hāl, which meant "healthy" or "uninjured," reflecting the idea of completeness. Over time, the meaning expanded to encompass the broader sense of "entirety" or "undivided." The silent "e" was added in Middle English under French influence but did not alter the core meaning. The connection between health and wholeness persists in related words like "hale" (healthy) and "heal" (to restore to health).
She ate the whole pizza by herself.
The whole class agreed on the plan.
He devoted his whole life to science.
The vase remained whole despite the fall.
They wholeheartedly supported the idea.