whether
whether Lexical Profile
whether Game Scores & Validity
• conjunction
Used to introduce the first of two or more alternatives, or an indirect question involving a doubt or choice between possibilities.
"The committee has not yet decided whether to approve the proposed budget."
Used to indicate that a statement holds true regardless of which of the specified conditions or possibilities is the case.
"The outdoor concert will proceed as scheduled, whether it rains or shines."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often confused with its homophone 'weather' (atmospheric conditions) or the archaic noun 'wether' (a castrated ram). In formal writing, 'whether' is preferred over 'if' when introducing two or more explicit alternatives, after prepositions, or before an infinitive verb.
• Rhymes for whether
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English hwæþer ('which of two, whether'), derived from Proto-Germanic *hwatharaz, formed from the interrogative root *hwa- ('who, what') and a comparative suffix meaning 'of two'.