Definition of "why" in English

adverb

1. (interrogative) For what cause, reason, or purpose.

2. (relative) For which cause, reason, or purpose.

   • That's the reason why I did that.

3. (fused relative) The cause, reason, or purpose for which.

   • That is why the sky is blue.

noun

1. Reason.

   • A good article will cover the who, the what, the when, the where, the why and the how.
   • I don't want to know the whys or the wherefores of your decision.

interjection

1. (dated or literary) An exclamation used to express pleasant or unpleasant mild surprise, indignation, or impatience.

   • Why, that’s ridiculous!
   • Why, how kind of you!
   • Why yes, that’s true.

verb

1. (intransitive, transitive) To ask (someone) the question "why?".

noun

1. (Yorkshire, obsolete) A young heifer.

noun

1. Alternative form of wye; the name of the Latin-script letter Y/y.