how

Meaning

Adv

1. (interrogative, not-comparable) To what degree or extent.
2. (interrogative, not-comparable) In what manner
3. (interrogative, not-comparable) In what manner:
4. (interrogative, not-comparable) In what manner:
5. (interrogative, not-comparable) In what manner:
6. (interrogative, not-comparable) In what manner:
7. (interrogative, not-comparable) In what manner:
8. (interrogative, not-comparable) In what manner:
9. (interrogative, not-comparable) In what manner:
10. (interrogative, not-comparable) In what state or condition.
11. (not-comparable) Used as a modifier to indicate surprise, delight, or other strong feelings in an exclamation.

Conj

That, the fact that.

Noun

The means by which something is accomplished.

Noun

1. (dialectal) An artificial barrow or tumulus; in later folklore, associated with fairies.
2. (dialectal) In northern England, a low hill.

Intj

A greeting, used in representations of Native American speech.

Synonyms

what

in what way

why

how much

by what means

as

in what manner

like

when

which

how many

what extent

however

where

whatever

what degree

but

know

whereby

able

such as

alas

how come

means

method

whence

so

way

what for

what kind of

whatsoever

wherein

which way

yea

yep

yet

as many as

by way of

for what reason

how about

what kind

what like

which one

for what purpose

what sort

what amount

such that

by what ? whence

about

admit

Translations

wie

comment

come

cómo

como

hoe

como

comme

nasıl

op welke manier

كيف

πώς

com

quomodo

Pronounced as (IPA)

/haʊ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: how

Inherited from Old English: hū

Cognate with Scots: hoo

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: wo

Cognate with Western Frisian: hoe

Cognate with Low German: ho

Cognate with Dutch: hoe

Cognate with German: wie

Cognate with Swedish: hur

Inherited from Middle English: howe

Inherited from Old English: hōh

Cognate with Old French: höe

Cognate with Lakota: háu

In summary

From Middle English how, hou, hu, hwu, from Old English hū, from Proto-West Germanic *hwō, from Proto-Germanic *hwō (“through what, how”), from the same root as hwæt (“who, what”). /hw/ > /h/ due to wh-cluster reduction in Old English; compare who, which underwent this change later, and thus is spelt wh (Middle English spelling of /hw/) but pronounced /h/ (it previously had a different vowel, hence avoided the spelling and sound change in Old English). Vowel change per Great Vowel Shift.
Akin to Scots hoo, foo (“how”), North Frisian ho, hü, hur (“how”), Saterland Frisian wo (“how”), West Frisian hoe (“how”), Dutch hoe (“how”), Low German ho, wo, wu (“how”), German wie (“how”), Swedish hur (“how”). See who and compare why.

Sentences

The old man knew how to read , and had already read the book .

Sometimes I wonder how there can be so many stars in the sky .

Wow , look how deep this canyon is !

Not to know how to sign one's name .

To forget his fear of flying , he imagined how the stewardess would look like in a bikini .

" I don't know how to find life in the desert ," the boy said .