whose

UK: /ˈhuːz/ US: /huz/ ,(ho̅o̅z)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

whose /huz/   pron. 

1. the form of the pronoun who or which used to show that something is owned, appearing before a noun:
   She is someone whose faith is strong. That's a word whose meaning escapes me.
2. This word is used in questions to mean "the one or ones belonging to what person or persons'':
   Whose umbrella is that?

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

whose  (ho̅o̅z), pron. 

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?

• bef. 900; Middle English whos, early Middle English hwās; replacing hwas, Old English hwæs, genitive of hwā who

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.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

whose / huːz/ determiner

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?
3. of whom; belonging to whom; of which; belonging to which: used as a relative pronoun: a house whose windows are broken

Etymology: Old English hwæs, genitive of hwā who and hwæt what