whose

American  

[hooz] / huz /

pronoun

1. (the possessive case of who used as an adjective).

   Whose umbrella did I take? Whose is this one?

2. (the possessive case of which used as an adjective).

   a word whose meaning escapes me; an animal whose fur changes color.

3. the one or ones belonging to what person or persons.

   Whose painting won the third prize?

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whose British  

/ huːz /

determiner

1. 1. of whom? belonging to whom? used in direct and indirect questions

      I told him whose fault it was

      whose car is this?

   2. ( as pronoun )

      whose is that?

2. of whom; belonging to whom; of which; belonging to which: used as a relative pronoun

   a house whose windows are broken

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Usage

Sometimes the phrase of which is used as the possessive of which: Chicago is a city of which the attractions are many or Chicago is a city the attractions of which are many. The use of this phrase can often seem awkward or pretentious, whereas whose sounds more idiomatic: Chicago is a city whose attractions are many.

Etymology

Origin of whose

First recorded before 900; Middle English whos, early Middle English hwās; replacing hwas, Old English hwæs, genitive of interrogative pronoun hwā who

Example Sentences

Whose appetite for pain is strong enough to win the job?

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

The director Nico Ballesteros spent years by Ye’s side and released a 2025 documentary about him called “In Whose Name?”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

Whose identities are treated as unexceptional in public life?

From Slate • Dec. 19, 2025

But some questions remain: Whose duty was it to issue more alerts and why exactly did they not?

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2025

"Who drew that baby? Whose cat is that?" they marveled.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez