Which — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Meaning & Definition of Which

Which (adjective)

1. being what one or ones out of a group —used as an interrogative
2. whichever
3. —used as a function word to introduce a nonrestrictive relative clause and to modify a noun in that clause and to refer together with that noun to a word or word group in a preceding clause or to an entire preceding clause or sentence or longer unit of discourse

Which (pronoun)

1. what one or ones out of a group —used as an interrogative
2. whichever
3. —used as a function word to introduce a relative clause—used in any grammatical relation except that of a possessive—used especially in reference to animals, inanimate objects, groups, or ideas —used freely in reference to persons as recently as the 17th century, and still occasionally so used but usually with some implication of emphasis on the function or role of the person rather than on the person as such —used by speakers on all educational levels and by many reputable writers, though disapproved by some grammarians, in reference to an idea expressed by a word or group of words that is not necessarily a noun or noun phrase

Which (conjunction)

1. —used as an introductory particle before a word or phrase that is a reaction to or commentary on the previous clause