Definitions for Which
ʰwɪtʃ, wɪtʃwhich

WiktionaryRate this definition:2.6 / 12 votes

1. whichnoun

   An occurrence of the word which.

2. whichpronoun

   Who; whom; what (of those mentioned or implied)

3. Etymology: hwilc, from Proto-Germanic, the former being the stem of. Cognates include German welcher, Dutch welk and Old Norse hvílíkr.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. WHICHpron.

   Etymology: hwilc , Saxon; welk, Dutch.

   1. The pronoun relative; relating to things.

   The apostles term it the pledge of our heavenly inheritance, sometimes the handsel or earnest of that which is to come. Richard Hooker, b. v.

   Do they not blaspheme that worthy name, by the which ye are called? Ja. ii. 7.

   In destructions by deluge, the remnant which hap to be reserved are ignorant. Francis Bacon.

   To which their want of judging abilities, add also their want of opportunity to apply to such a serious consideration as may let them into the true goodness and evil of things, which are qualities which seldom display themselves to the first view. Robert South, Sermons.

   The queen of furies by their side is set,
   And snatches from their mouths th’ untasted meat,
   Which, if they touch, her hissing snakes she rears. Dryden.

   After the several earths, consider the parts of the surface of this globe which is barren, as sand and rocks. John Locke.

   2. It formerly was used for who, and related likewise to persons: as in the first words of the Lord’s prayer.

   The Almighty, which giveth wisdom to whomsoever it pleaseth him, did, for the good of his church, stay those eager affections. Richard Hooker.

   Do you hear, sir, of a battle?
   ———— Every one hears that,
   Which can distinguish sound. William Shakespeare, King Lear.

   Had I been there, which am a silly woman,
   The soldiers should have toss’d me on their pikes,
   Before I would have granted to that act. William Shakespeare, H. VI.

   3. The genitive of which, as well as of who, is whose; but whose, as derived from which, is scarcely used but in poetry.

   Of man’s first disobedience, and the fruit
   Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste. John Milton.

   4. It is sometimes a demonstrative: as, take which you will.

   What is the night?
   —— Almost at odds with morning, which is which. William Shakespeare.

   5. It is sometimes an interrogative: as, which is the man.

   Two fair twins,
   The puzzled strangers which is which enquire. Thomas Tickell.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. which

   "Which" is a pronoun used to refer to a specific person, thing, or idea out of a group of options. It is typically used to ask a question to seek clarification or to indicate a choice between multiple alternatives.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:2.4 / 5 votes

1. Whichadjective

   of what sort or kind; what; what a; who

2. Whichadjective

   a interrogative pronoun, used both substantively and adjectively, and in direct and indirect questions, to ask for, or refer to, an individual person or thing among several of a class; as, which man is it? which woman was it? which is the house? he asked which route he should take; which is best, to live or to die? See the Note under What, pron., 1

3. Which

   a relative pronoun, used esp. in referring to an antecedent noun or clause, but sometimes with reference to what is specified or implied in a sentence, or to a following noun or clause (generally involving a reference, however, to something which has preceded). It is used in all numbers and genders, and was formerly used of persons

4. Which

   a compound relative or indefinite pronoun, standing for any one which, whichever, that which, those which, the . . . which, and the like; as, take which you will

5. Etymology: [OE. which, whilk, AS. hwilc, hwylc, hwelc, from the root of hw who + lc body; hence properly, of what sort or kind; akin to OS. hwilik which, OFries. hwelik, D. welk, G. welch, OHG. welh, hwelh, Icel. hvlkr, Dan. & Sw. hvilken, Goth. hwileiks, hwleiks; cf. L. qualis. . See Who, and Like, a., and cf. Such.]

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:3.5 / 2 votes

1. Which

   hwich, interrog. pron. what one of a number?—also used adjectively.—rel. pron. (obs.) who, whom: now used of things only.—prons. Whichev′er, Whichsoev′er, every one which: whether one or other.—(obs.) Which...he, who; Which...his, whose—surviving in the vulgar use of which as a mere introductory word; Which is which? which is the one, which is the other? a common phrase denoting inability to decide between two or more things.—The which (obs.), which. [A.S. hwilc, hwelc, from hwí, instrumental case of hwá, who, and líc, like; Goth. hwei-leiks, Ger. welch, welcher; L. qualis. Cf. Such and Each.]

Editors ContributionRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. which

   A relative pronoun.

   The company which released the new software were happy to open-source the code for it to be improved.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on April 8, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Which' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #30

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'Which' in Written Corpus Frequency: #80

How to pronounce Which?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say Which in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Which in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Which in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of Which in a Sentence

1. Rob McDonald:

   When someone upstream decides to expand agriculture or build more houses it will have a cost (on water treatment) which is not accounted for in the market place.

2. Giovanni Ruffini:

   The teacher is like the candle which lights others in consuming itself.

3. Simone Weil:

   A science which does not bring us nearer to God is worthless.

4. Carolyn Brockington:

   Think of [the aneurysm] like a balloon coming off the wall of the artery. On the neck of the balloon they put a small clip in so blood can’t go into the aneurysm, which means the balloon will deflate, the more newer approach is an endovascular approach using an angiogram. They go into the balloon itself and fill the balloon with small coil so blood can’t go into the balloon, and therefore the aneurysm deflates.

5. Matthew Bogdanos:

   That is a long, intentional, pre-mediated attack before which the defendant had many opportunities to stop, to turn away, to walk away, to run away, to do anything.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Which
2. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=Which
3. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
4. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Which
5. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=Which