why

adv

Etymology: From Middle English why, from Old English hwȳ (“why”), from Proto-Germanic *hwī (“by what, how”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷey, instrumental case of *kʷís (“who”), *kʷid (“what”). Cognate with Old Saxon hwī (“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 quī (“why”), Doric Greek πεῖ (peî, “where”), Ukrainian чи (čy, “if”), Polish czy, Czech či (“or”), Serbo-Croatian či (“if”). Compare Old English þȳ (“because, since, on that account, therefore, then”, literally “by that, for that”). See thy.

1. For what cause, reason, or purpose.

   “Why is the sky blue?”

   “Why did you do that?”

2. For what cause, reason, or purpose.

   “Why don't you ask her out for dinner?”

3. For what cause, reason, or purpose.

   “Why spend money on something you already get for free?”

   “Why not tell him how you feel?”

4. For what cause, reason, or purpose.

   “Why him? Why not someone taller?”

5. For which cause, reason, or purpose.

   “That's the reason why I did that.”

6. The cause, reason, or purpose for which.

   “That is why the sky is blue.”

   “Why most of us volunteer is that we need some fresh air.”

intj

Etymology: From Middle English why, from Old English hwȳ (“why”), from Proto-Germanic *hwī (“by what, how”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷey, instrumental case of *kʷís (“who”), *kʷid (“what”). Cognate with Old Saxon hwī (“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 quī (“why”), Doric Greek πεῖ (peî, “where”), Ukrainian чи (čy, “if”), Polish czy, Czech či (“or”), Serbo-Croatian či (“if”). Compare Old English þȳ (“because, since, on that account, therefore, then”, literally “by that, for that”). See thy.

1. An exclamation used to express pleasant or unpleasant mild surprise, indignation, or impatience.

   “Why, that’s ridiculous!”

   “Why, how kind of you!”

noun

1. Alternative form of wye; the name of the Latin script letter Y/y.

   “ee, why, ee, ess, eyes”

   “eff you see kay why oh you.”

verb

Etymology: From Middle English why, from Old English hwȳ (“why”), from Proto-Germanic *hwī (“by what, how”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷey, instrumental case of *kʷís (“who”), *kʷid (“what”). Cognate with Old Saxon hwī (“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 quī (“why”), Doric Greek πεῖ (peî, “where”), Ukrainian чи (čy, “if”), Polish czy, Czech či (“or”), Serbo-Croatian či (“if”). Compare Old English þȳ (“because, since, on that account, therefore, then”, literally “by that, for that”). See thy.

1. To ask (someone) the question "why?".

   “Why indeed? But once you start whying, there's no end to it.”