First Known Use: before 12th century
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
See whole defined for English-language learners
See whole defined for kids
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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
Related to WHOLE
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
See whole defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of WHOLE
14th century
3whole
adverb
: entirely or completely
: in one piece that has not been cut into parts
Full Definition of WHOLE
2
: as a complete entity
See whole defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of WHOLE
14th century
WHOLENESS Defined for Kids
1whole
adjective \ˈhōl\
Definition of WHOLE for Kids
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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