whyever

English

Etymology

why +‎ ever

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (with wine–whine merger) /waɪˈɛvɚ/, (without wine–whine merger) /ʍaɪˈɛvɚ/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

    (wine–whine merged)
• Rhymes: -ɛvə(r)

Adverb

whyever (not comparable)

1. An emphatic form of why.

   Whyever would someone do that?

2. For whatever reason.
   • 1918, Wilson Follett, The Modern Novel: A Study of the Purpose and the Meaning of Fiction, page 79

     Whatever we do, and whyever we do it, does not every motive originate in self, and does not every act proceed out of the individual's instinct for self-fulfilment ?

   • 1975, Steven Polgar, Population, Ecology, and Social Evolution, page 74

     Whyever they began, there was no perceptible wolf at their door.

   • 2006, David Weber, Linda Evans, Hell's Gate

     "And whyever they were doing it, they were the ones responsible for what happened to her and all of the rest of my friends in the first place."

See also

Other emphatic forms of why:

• why on Earth
• why in God's name
• why oh why
• why in Sam Hill
• whysoever

Related terms

• however
• howsoever
• whatever
• whatsoever
• whenever
• whensoever
• wherever
• wheresoever
• whichever
• whoever
• whomever
• whomsoever
• whosoever
• wherever
• wheresoever
• whysoever

Translations

for whatever reason

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}