which

American  

[wich, hwich] / wɪtʃ, ʰwɪtʃ /

pronoun

1. what one?.

   Which of these do you want? Which do you want?

2. whichever; any one that.

   Choose which appeals to you.

3. (used relatively in restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses to represent a specified antecedent).

   The book, which I read last night, was exciting. The socialism which Owen preached was unpalatable to many. The lawyer represented five families, of which the Costello family was the largest.

4. (used relatively in restrictive clauses having that as the antecedent).

   Damaged goods constituted part of that which was sold at the auction.

5. (used after a preposition to represent a specified antecedent).

   the horse on which I rode.

6. (used relatively to represent a specified or implied antecedent) the one that; a particular one that.

   You may choose which you like.

7. (used in parenthetic clauses) the thing or fact that.

   He hung around for hours and, which was worse, kept me from doing my work.

8. Nonstandard. who or whom.

   a friend which helped me move; the lawyer which you hired.

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adjective

1. what one of (a certain number or group mentioned or implied)?.

   Which book do you want?

2. whichever; any that.

   Go which way you please, you'll end up here.

3. being previously mentioned.

   It stormed all day, during which time the ship broke up.

which British  

/ wɪtʃ /

determiner

1. 1. used with a noun in requesting that its referent be further specified, identified, or distinguished from the other members of a class

      which house did you want to buy?

   2. ( as pronoun )

      which did you find?

   3. ( used in indirect questions )

      I wondered which apples were cheaper

2. 1. whatever of a class; whichever

      bring which car you want

   2. ( as pronoun )

      choose which of the cars suit you

3. used in relative clauses with inanimate antecedents

   the house, which is old, is in poor repair

4. as; and that: used in relative clauses with verb phrases or sentences as their antecedents

   he died of cancer, which is what I predicted

5. archaic a longer form of which, often used as a sentence connector

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which Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing which

• (which) way the wind blows
• every which way
• know which side of bread is buttered

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Usage

The relative pronoun which refers to inanimate things and to animals: The house, which we had seen only from a distance, impressed us even more as we approached. The horses which pulled the coach were bay geldings. Formerly, which referred to persons, but this use, while still heard ( a man which I know ), is nonstandard. Contrary to the teachings of some usage guides, which introduces both restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses. The “rule” that which can be used only with nonrestrictive clauses has no basis in fact. In edited prose three-fourths of the clauses in which which is the relative pronoun are restrictive: A novel which he later wrote quickly became a bestseller. See also that.

Etymology

Origin of which

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English hwilc, hwelc, equivalent to hwe-, base of hwā interrogative pronoun, + -līc “body, shape, kind”; cognate with Old Frisian hwelik, Dutch welk, German welch, Gothic hwileiks literally, “of what form”; who, like ¹

Example Sentences

But Alice, now working in Albania, has been offered a job as an assistant professor of archaeology at Princeton, which would allow her to settle down with Tom in a school-provided apartment and “build a life that’s mine, not just uncovering other people’s.”

From Los Angeles Times

In 1977, after the release of the album Zombie, which satirised government soldiers as obedient, brainless enforcers, his compound in the main city, Lagos, was raided.

From BBC

For Fela Anikulapo Kuti was not simply a musician, but also a cultural theorist, political agitator and the undisputed architect of Afrobeat - which is distinct from, but ultimately led to, the modern sound of Afrobeats.

From BBC

The waterway, which handles about 5% of global maritime trade volume, is operated by the Panama Canal Authority, an agency of the Panamanian government.

From BBC

In a statement published on its website, Panama's Supreme Court said that after "extensive deliberation", it had found laws which underpin a concession contract between the state and PPC at the ports of Balbao and Cristobal were unconstitutional.

From BBC

Related Words

• that
• whatever