whoever
pronUS /huˈɛvɚ/ · UK /huˈɛvə/
Etymology From Middle English whoever. By surface analysis, who + ever.
1
Interrogative, Nominative Who ever: an emphatic form of who.
- Whoever thought up that stupid idea?
2
Nominative Any person or persons that.
- Whoever breaks the law will be punished.
3
Nominative The person that (no matter who).
- Whoever robbed that old lady ought to be locked up.
- I don't know what it is. Ask whoever put it there.
4
Nominative Regardless of the person or persons that.
- Whoever stole the painting, the police will catch the thief in no time.
5
Informal, Nominative Any person or persons.
- I don't care who gets it; give it to whoever.
6
Misspelling, Nominative Misspelling of who ever other than in interrogative use.
- He is the tallest man whoever lived. (incorrect usage)
- When the gays can claim the toughest bastard whoever pulled on a football boot as one of their own, ...2014 July 13, Peter FitzSimons, “Ian Thorpe acknowledges he's gay, let's hope he's now happy as well”, in Sydney Morning Herald:
- Derived terms
- whoever smelt it dealt it