DictionaryAI

who

SayHOO/hu//huː/

Often confused with whom

6 meanings of who

Practice

  1. 1
    pronounrelative
    Used to add information about a person you just mentioned, as in 'the nurse who helped me'.

    That is the woman who runs the bakery.

    My uncle, who lives in Leeds, is visiting us.

    UsageUse who, not which, for a person: the woman who runs the shop.

    Similarthat

  2. 2
    pronouninterrogative
    Asks which person someone is, in a question.

    Who is that man by the door?

    I asked who had called, but nobody knew.

    UsageSay I know who he is (not incorrect: who is he).

    Note
  3. 3
    group (team)pronouncolloquial
    Used after the name of a team, band, or other group, as if the group were people.

    The Wolves, who won last night, are my son's favorite team.

    The Night Owls, who are a local band, play here on Friday.

    UsageUse a plural verb like are: the band, who are back together.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    identitynouncountable
    The question of which person is involved, used as a noun.

    We know the what and the when, but not the who.

    The report lists the whos and the whys of the deal.

    UsageFor more than one, write whos, with no apostrophe.

    Note
  2. 5
    pronoun
    Means 'whoever' or 'the person who', as in 'vote for who you want'.

    You can bring who you like to the party.

    At lunch, the kids can sit next to who they want.

    UsageMost people say whoever you like.

    Similarwhoever

    Note
  3. 6
    determinerdialectal
    In some American speech, 'who' is used to mean 'whose'.

Practice

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Origin

This word comes from Old English "hwā." It has related words in many other Germanic languages, like German "wer" and Dutch "wie."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts