What does whole mean?
Whole means complete, entire, or undivided. As an adjective, it describes something that has no missing parts, remains unbroken, or deserves complete attention: “The entire meal was delicious,” for example, can be paraphrased as “The whole meal was delicious.” As a noun, “the whole” means the complete amount, total, or entirety of something, as in “He did the whole job himself.” As an adverb, whole means entirely or in one piece, most often in constructions such as “swallowed it whole” or “the whole way.” The word is common in standard British and American English and is useful because it can convey both completeness and unity. It is related in origin to words such as hale, heal, and health, although its modern meaning is chiefly concerned with wholeness rather than physical soundness.
Complete or entire, with nothing missing; also unbroken, undivided, or given without interruption.
"She gave the proposal her whole attention."
The adjective is highly versatile and can modify quantities, objects, periods of time, units, or abstract ideas such as attention andhearted concern.
The complete amount, total, or entirety of something.
"The whole of the evidence was presented to the jury."
In this sense, whole is normally used with the definite article: “the whole.” The plural is uncommon.
Entirely or in one piece, rather than divided or partially.
"The photograph was displayed whole on the wall."
The adverb is chiefly used in specific constructions, especially with verbs of eating, swallowing, or moving.
The plural is uncommon; in most contexts, use “the whole” or “the entirety.”
"The wholes were divided into smaller portions."
Whole is more than a total: it can suggest a thing whose parts remain connected and unbroken.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of whole
Whole comes from Old English hāl, meaning “whole, entire, unbroken, or healthy,” through Middle English. The Old English adjective is cognate with related forms in other Germanic languages, including Old Norse heill and Old High German heil. English derivatives such as hale, heal, and health reflect the same Germanic root, although their present meanings have developed in different directions.
Related word forms
How whole is actually used
The word is neutral in register and works in both formal and informal contexts. It is especially useful when the emphasis is on completeness, unity, or an undivided amount rather than merely size.
Easily confused with whole
A hole is an opening or cavity, whereas a whole is something complete, undivided, or unbroken.