different between why vs howcome
why
English
Etymology 1
From Middle English why, from Old English hw? (“why”), from Proto-Germanic *hw? (“by what, how”), from Proto-Indo-European *k?ey, instrumental case of *k?is (“who”), *k?id (“what”).
Cognate with Old Saxon hw? (“why”), hwiu (“how; why”), Middle High German wiu (“how, why”), archaic Danish and Norwegian Bokmål hvi (“why”), Norwegian Nynorsk kvi (“why”), Swedish vi (“why”), Faroese and Icelandic hví (“why”), Latin qu? (“why”), Ancient Greek ??? (peî, “where”). Compare Old English þ? (“because, since, on that account, therefore, then”, literally “by that, for that”). See thy.
Pronunciation
- enPR: hw?, w?, IPA(key): /?a?/, /wa?/
- (in accents without the "wine-whine" merger)
- (in accents with the "wine-whine" merger)
- (in accents with the "wine-whine" merger)
- Rhymes: -a?
- Homophones: wye, Y, y (all only in accents with the wine-whine merger)
Adverb
why (not comparable)
- For what cause, reason, or purpose (interrogative adverb).
- Introducing a complete question.
- 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
- Why do you have a map of the world?
- Why do you have a map of the world?
- 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
- Introducing a verb phrase (bare infinitive clause).
- Introducing a noun or other phrase.
- Introducing a complete question.
- For which cause, reason, or purpose (relative adverb).
Synonyms
- how come, wherefore, to what end
Translations
Noun
why (plural whys or why's)
- reason
Synonyms
- wherefore
Translations
Interjection
why
- An exclamation used to express indignation, mild surprise, or impatience.
- 1724, Daniel Defoe, Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress
- “Why, child, I tell thee if I was thy mother I would not disown thee; don't you see I am as kind to you as if I was your mother?”
- Why, thank you!
- 1724, Daniel Defoe, Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress
Derived terms
Translations
Etymology 2
Noun
why (plural whies)
- (Britain, dialect) A young heifer.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Grose to this entry?)
Further reading
- why in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- why in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
Anagrams
- hwy, hwy.
Cornish
Etymology
From Proto-Celtic *sw?s (compare Breton c’hwi, Welsh chi, Old Irish síi), from Proto-Indo-European *wos.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?i?/, /???/
Alternative forms
- hwi (Standard Written Form)
Pronoun
why
- (Standard Cornish, Standard Written Form with Traditional Graphs) you (formal or plural)
why From the web:
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howcome
howcome From the web:
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