whyever

English

Etymology

From why +‎ ever.

Pronunciation

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

• Audio (US, wine–whine merger):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛvə(ɹ)

Adverb

whyever (not comparable)

1. (interrogative) Why ever: an emphatic form of why.

   Whyever would someone do that?

2. (uncommon) For whatever reason.

   You can use it whenever you want and whyever you want.

   • 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."

3. (uncommon) Regardless of the reason (why).

   I don't care what you want. Whyever you're here, please go away.

Related terms

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

Translations

for whatever reason

Italian: perché mai

See also

Pronominal adverbs

																																																				about	abouts	across	after	again	against	along	among	amongst	anent[1]	around	as	at	beit	beside	between	beyond	by	ever	for	fore	forth	forward	forwards	from	hence	inabove	inafter	inbefore	inbelow	inelsewhere	insoever	into	inunder	mid[2]	of	on	out	over	so	soever	somedever	somever[3]	through	throughout	to	tofore	unto	up	upon	ward	wards	with	withal	within	without
																																																			hence	—	—	—	henceafter	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	henceforth	henceforward	henceforwards	hencefrom	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
																																																			here	hereabout	hereabouts	—	hereafter	—	hereagainst	—	hereamong	hereamongst	hereanent	—	—	hereat	—	—	—	—	hereby	—	herefor	herefore	hereforth	hereforward	herefowards	herefrom	herehence	hereinabove	hereinafter	hereinbefore	hereinbelow	hereinelsewhere	hereinsoever	hereinto	hereinunder	heremid	hereof	hereon	hereout	hereover	—	heresoever	—	—	herethrough	herethroughout	hereto	heretofore	hereunto	—	hereupon	—	—	herewith	herewithal	herewithin	—
																																																			hither	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	hitherto	—	hitherunto	—	—	hitherward	hitherwards	—	—	—	—
																																																			how	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	howbeit	—	—	—	however	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	howso	howsoever	howsomedever	howsomever	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
																																																			thence	—	—	—	thenceafter	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	thenceforth	thenceforward	thenceforwards	thencefrom	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	thenceout	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
																																																			there	thereabout	thereabouts	thereacross	thereafter	thereagain	thereagainst	therealong	thereamong	thereamongst	thereanent	therearound	—	thereat	—	therebeside	therebetween	therebeyond	thereby	therever	therefor	therefore	thereforth	—	—	therefrom	therehence	thereinabove	thereinafter	thereinbefore	thereinbelow	—	—	thereinto	thereinunder	theremid	thereof	thereon	thereout	thereover	—	theresoever	—	—	therethrough	therethroughout	thereto	theretofore	thereunto	thereup	thereupon	—	—	therewith	therewithal	therewithin	therewithout
																																																			thither	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	thitherinsoever	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	thitherto	—	—	—	—	thitherward	thitherwards	—	—	—	—
																																																			what	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	whatever	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	whatso	whatsoever	whatsomedever	whatsomever	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
																																																			when	whenabout	whenabouts	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	whenas	—	—	—	—	—	—	whenever	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	whenso	whensoever	—	whensomever	—	—	−	—	−	—	—	−	−	—	—	—	—
																																																			whence	—	—	—	whenceafter	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	whencever	—	—	whenceforth	whenceforward	—	whencefrom	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	whenceward	whencewards	—	—	—	—
																																																			where	whereabout	whereabouts	—	whereafter	—	whereagainst	wherealong	whereamong	whereamongst	whereanent	wherearound	whereas	whereat	—	wherebeside	wherebetween	wherebeyond	whereby	wherever	wherefor	wherefore	whereforth	—	—	wherefrom	wherehence	whereinabove	whereinafter	whereinbefore	whereinbelow	—	whereinsoever	whereinto	whereinunder	wheremid	whereof	whereon	whereout	whereover	whereso	wheresoever	—	wheresomever	wherethrough	wherethroughout	whereto	wheretofore	whereunto	whereup	whereupon	—	—	wherewith	wherewithal	wherewithin	wherewithout
																																																			whither	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	whitherever	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	whitherinsoever	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	whitherso	—	—	—	—	—	whitherto	whithertofore	—	—	—	whitherward	whitherwards	—	—	—	—
																																																			why	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	whyever	whyfor	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	whyso	whysoever	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Scottish from Middle English mid old dialectal form

Other emphatic forms of why:

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