Meanings
objective whomso · possessive whoseso · alternative who so
- archaicwhosoever, whatever person
Whoso would be a man would be a nonconformist.
1963, Martin Luther King, quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Self-Reliance", quoted in "Strength to Love"4 more examples
Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 23:20-21And whoso findeth by the sea Blown dust of bones will hardly say If this were that Aholibah.
1866, Algernon Swinburne, Aholibah, lines 148-150Whoso raises his hand against you must answer to my sword.
1898, Andrew Lang, Arabian NightsAnd whoso kisseth those apples high, Who kisseth once is a king, Who kisseth twice shall never die, Who kisseth thrice--oh, were it I.
1896, Richard Le Gallienne, The Quest of the Golden Girl
Origin
- Old Englishhwā swā
- Middle Englishhoe so
- Englishwhoso
From Middle English hoe so, hoo so, hoo-so, from Old English hwā swā; equivalent to who + so.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
whoso. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whoso
“whoso.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whoso. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “whoso,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whoso.
Source: whoso on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.