Dictionary

1whole

adjective \ˈhōl\

: complete or full : not lacking or leaving out any part

: having all the parts : not divided or cut into parts or pieces

: great or large in size, extent, etc.

Full Definition of WHOLE

1
a (1) :  free of wound or injury :  unhurt (2) :  recovered from a wound or injury :  restored (3) :  being healed <whole of an ancient evil, I sleep sound — A. E. Housman>
b :  free of defect or impairment :  intact
c :  physically sound and healthy :  free of disease or deformity
d :  mentally or emotionally sound
2
:  having all its proper parts or components :  complete, unmodified <whole milk> <a whole egg>
3
a :  constituting the total sum or undiminished entirety :  entire <owns the whole island>
b :  each or all of the <took part in the whole series of athletic events>
4
a :  constituting an undivided unit :  unbroken, uncut <a whole roast suckling pig>
b :  directed to one end :  concentrated <your whole attention>
5
a :  seemingly complete or total <the whole idea is to help, not hinder>
b :  very great in quantity, extent, or scope <feels a whole lot better now>
6
:  constituting the entirety of a person's nature or development <educate the whole student>
7
:  having the same father and mother <whole brother>
whole·ness noun
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Origin of WHOLE

Middle English hool healthy, unhurt, entire, from Old English hāl; akin to Old High German heil healthy, unhurt, Old Norse heill, Old Church Slavic cělŭ
First Known Use: before 12th century

Synonym Discussion of WHOLE

whole, entire, total, all mean including everything or everyone without exception. whole implies that nothing has been omitted, ignored, abated, or taken away <read the whole book>. entire may suggest a state of completeness or perfection to which nothing can be added <the entire population was wiped out>. total implies that everything has been counted, weighed, measured, or considered <the total number of people present>. all may equal whole, entire, or total <all proceeds go to charity>.perfect, whole, entire, intact mean not lacking or faulty in any particular. perfect implies the soundness and the excellence of every part, element, or quality of a thing frequently as an unattainable or theoretical state <a perfect set of teeth>. whole suggests a completeness or perfection that can be sought, gained, or regained <felt like a whole person again after vacation>. entire implies perfection deriving from integrity, soundness, or completeness of a thing <the entire Beethoven corpus>. intact implies retention of perfection of a thing in its natural or original state <the boat survived the storm intact>.

2whole

noun

: something that is full or complete

Full Definition of WHOLE

1
:  a complete amount or sum :  a number, aggregate, or totality lacking no part, member, or element
2
:  something constituting a complex unity :  a coherent system or organization of parts fitting or working together as one
in whole
:  to the full or entire extent :  wholly —usually used in the phrase in whole or in part
on the whole
1
:  in view of all the circumstances or conditions :  all things considered
2
:  in general :  in most instances :  typically

First Known Use of WHOLE

14th century

Related to WHOLE

Synonyms
aggregate, full, sum, summation, sum total, total, totality, grand total, the whole bit, the whole kit and caboodle, the whole nine yards, the whole shebang

3whole

adverb

: entirely or completely

: in one piece that has not been cut into parts

Full Definition of WHOLE

1
:  wholly, entirely <a whole new age group — Henry Chauncey>
2
:  as a complete entity

First Known Use of WHOLE

14th century
WHOLE Defined for Kids

1whole

adjective \ˈhōl\

Definition of WHOLE for Kids

1
:  made up of all its parts :  total, entire <the whole family>
2
:  all the <the whole week>
3
:  not cut up or ground <a whole onion>
4
:  not scattered or divided <I gave it my whole attention.>
5
:  having all its proper parts :  complete <whole milk>
6
:  completely healthy or sound in condition <Your care made me whole again.>
whole·ness noun

2whole

noun

Definition of WHOLE for Kids

1
:  something that is full or complete <The whole of my day was spent working.>
2
:  a sum of all the parts and elements <the whole of creation>
on the whole
1
:  all things considered
2
:  in most cases
Medical Dictionary

whole

adjective \ˈhōl\

Medical Definition of WHOLE

:  containing all its natural constituents, components, or elements :  deprived of nothing by refining, processing, or separation <whole milk>
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