Whatsoever

How to spell whatsoever

10 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce whatsoever

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does whatsoever mean?

1. adverbUsed after a noun, usually in a negative statement, to add strong emphasis meaning 'at all'.
2. pronounIn formal or legal contexts, anything at all that; no matter what.

Whatsoever in a sentence

• adverb

  The auditor found no evidence whatsoever of wrongdoing.

• pronoun

  The warranty covers whatsoever defects arise within the first year.

• adverb

  She had no interest whatsoever in renewing the contract.

• pronoun

  The trustee must record whatsoever assets remain in the estate.

Where does whatsoever come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

Whatsoever is a native English compound, built up over time from three older words: 'what', 'so', and 'ever'. The base 'what' descends from Old English 'hwaet', a question and relative word shared with the broader Germanic family, while 'ever' comes from Old English 'aefre', meaning 'always' or 'at any time'. By the medieval period writers were stacking these elements to create strong, all-inclusive emphasis, and 'whatsoever' settled into use in Middle English as a more forceful version of 'whatever'. The middle 'so' is the same intensifying word that survives in pairs like 'whosoever' and 'howsoever', and it is the reason the word looks longer and more formal than its plainer cousin. Because all three parts run together with no break, the chief spelling trap is simply remembering it is one solid word with the small 'so' hiding in the middle.

How the word is built

• what (interrogative/relative pronoun)
• so (intensifying adverb)
• ever (generalising suffix meaning 'at all')