where

Syllabification: (where)

Pronunciation: /(h)we(ə)r/

Translate where | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish

Definition of where

adverb

in or to what place or position:where do you live? where is she going? [with preposition]:where do you come from?
in what direction or respect:where does the argument lead?
in or from what source:where did you read that?
in or to what situation or condition:just where is all this leading us?

adverb

1at, in, or to which (used after reference to a place or situation):I first saw him in Paris, where I lived in the early sixties

2the place or situation in which:this is where I live
in or to a place or situation in which:sit where I can see you where people were concerned, his threshold of boredom was low
in or to any place in which; wherever:he was free to go where he liked

conjunction

informal

1that:do you see where the men in your life are emotionally unavailable to you? I see where the hotel has changed hands again

2whereas:where some caregivers burn out, others become too involved

noun

[(prec. by the)]

the place; the scene of something.
(see when).

Origin:

Old English hwǣr, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch waar and German wo

Grammar

The main uses of where are: question word:Where shall we go? relative pronoun:It was not difficult to find the place where the prisoners were hiding. subordinating conjunction introducing a noun clause:Have you told them where I live? subordinating conjunction introducing an adverbial clause of place:Put it where it gets as much sun as possible.

where in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of where in the British & World English dictionary

Subscriber login

Library card login

Other

where

adverb

adverb

conjunction

noun

Origin:

Grammar

where in other Oxford dictionaries

Nearby words

More results for where

Word of the day

secretagogue