whoso

See also: who so

English

Alternative forms

• who so

Etymology

From Middle English hoe so, hoo so, hoo-so, hos, hose, ho so, ho-so, hwao-se, hwa se, hwase, hwa swa, hwo se, hwo so, oso, qhooso, qua sa, qua-so, quo so, quo-so, quuo-so, qwa se, wah-swa, wea swa, whas, whasa, whase, wha so, wha-so, wha sua, wha swa, wha-swa, whoo so, whos, whose, who so, who-so, whoso, wos, wo-se, wose, wo so, woso, wua sua, from Old English hwā swā; equivalent to who +‎ so.

Pronunciation

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Pronoun

whoso (objective whomso, possessive whoseso)

1. (archaic) whosoever, whatever person
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 23:20-21:

     Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

   • 1866, Algernon Swinburne, Aholibah, lines 148-150:

     And whoso findeth by the sea
     Blown dust of bones will hardly say
     If this were that Aholibah.

   • 1898, Andrew Lang, Arabian Nights:

     Whoso raises his hand against you must answer to my sword.

   • 1896, Richard Le Gallienne, The Quest of the Golden Girl:

     And whoso kisseth those apples high, Who kisseth once is a king, Who kisseth twice shall never die, Who kisseth thrice--oh, were it I.

   • 1963, Martin Luther King, quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Self-Reliance", quoted in "Strength to Love":

     Whoso would be a man would be a nonconformist.

Related terms

• whomso
• whosoever

Anagrams

• how so, howso, whoos, woosh