whole
whole Lexical Profile
whole Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
All of; entire; containing all its parts or elements without anything left out.
"She spent the whole afternoon reading her favorite novel in the garden."
In an unbroken, undamaged, or undivided state; intact.
"Add the whole cloves of garlic to the roasting pan alongside the vegetables."
Designating food that has not been processed, refined, or stripped of its natural nutritional components, such as bran, germ, or fat.
"The recipe calls for whole milk and whole wheat flour to give the bread a rich texture."
Restored to physical, mental, or emotional health and soundness; free from injury or impairment.
"After months of dedicated physical therapy, the athlete finally felt whole again."
• noun
A thing that is complete in itself; a system or entity made up of interconnected parts working together.
"The diverse chapters of the book come together to form a coherent and compelling whole."
All of something; the entire amount, extent, or quantity of a particular thing.
"The whole of the historic district was designated as a protected cultural heritage site."
• adverb
In a single, unbroken piece; without being divided, chewed, or cut up.
"Large constrictor snakes are capable of swallowing their prey whole."
Word Nuance & Usage
Carefully distinguish 'whole' (meaning complete or entire) from its homophone 'hole' (meaning an opening, gap, or cavity).
• Rhymes for whole
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'hāl', meaning entire, uninjured, or healthy, derived from Proto-Germanic '*hailaz', which is also the root of 'heal', 'hale', and 'holy'. The unetymological 'w-' began appearing in spelling in the early 15th century, reflecting a southwestern English dialectal pronunciation.