whose

American  

[hooz] / huz /

pronoun

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?

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whose British  

/ huːz /

determiner

1. 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?

2. of whom; belonging to whom; of which; belonging to which: used as a relative pronoun

   a house whose windows are broken

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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.

Etymology

Origin of whose

First recorded before 900; Middle English whos, early Middle English hwās; replacing hwas, Old English hwæs, genitive of interrogative pronoun hwā who

Example Sentences

But butterflies whose lifecycles are tied to specific habitats, such as woodland clearings or chalk grasslands, are struggling.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Warsh would replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell, also nominated by Trump, whose term expires May 15.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

The complaint describes the unidentified plaintiff as someone whose business relies on “personal reputation, professional relationships, and public perceptions.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

“For grads whose local market doesn’t match their field: be willing to go where the opportunity is. That might mean relocating, at least early in your career,” Sneha Puri, economist at Indeed, told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

The most likely person to want to remind me of that day wouldn’t be a fellow operator, or even the commanding officer whose orders I flubbed.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse