Langimage
English

what's

|what's|

A1

🇺🇸

/wɑts/

🇬🇧

/wɒts/

(what is)

contraction of 'what is'

Base FormNounVerb
what iswhat'swhat's
Etymology
Etymology Information

'what's' originates from the contraction of 'what is' or 'what has'.

Historical Evolution

'what's' evolved from the full phrase 'what is' or 'what has' to a more concise form in spoken English.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it was used as a full phrase, but over time it evolved into a contraction for ease of communication.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

a colloquial term for 'what is'.

What's the matter?

Synonyms

Conjunction 1

contraction of 'what is' or 'what has'.

What's the time?

Synonyms

Idioms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:41