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why
adverb
used
to
ask
for
the
reason
or
purpose
of
something
•
Why
are
the
leaves
changing
color
in
autumn
?
Why
are
the
leaves
changing
color
in
autumn
?
•
Why
do
birds
migrate
south
for
the
winter
?
Why
do
birds
migrate
south
for
the
winter
?
Old
English
hwi
,
hwy
,
from
Proto-Germanic
*hwi
"
for
what
reason
."
conjunction
introduces
a
clause
giving
the
reason
something
happens
or
is
done
•
I
know
why
you
were
late
.
I
know
why
you
were
late
.
•
Tell
me
why
he
quit
his
job
.
Tell
me
why
he
quit
his
job
.
Evolved
from
the
interrogative
use
,
extending
to
introduce
subordinate
clauses
of
reason
by
Middle
English
period
.
interjection
used
to
express
surprise
,
mild
anger
,
or
to
draw
attention
before
speaking
•
Why
,
it's
been
ages
since
we
last
met
!
Why
,
it's
been
ages
since
we
last
met
!
•
Why
,
that's
exactly
what
I
was
going
to
say
.
Why
,
that's
exactly
what
I
was
going
to
say
.
Interjectional
use
recorded
from
the
16th
century
,
originating
as
a
pause
filler
derived
from
the
adverb
.
noun
a
reason
or
explanation
for
something
•
I
need
to
know
the
why
behind
your
decision
.
I
need
to
know
the
why
behind
your
decision
.
•
The
book
explores
the
whys
and
hows
of
human
behavior
.
The
book
explores
the
whys
and
hows
of
human
behavior
.
Nominal
use
emerged
from
the
interrogative
form
in
late
Middle
English
,
turning
the
question
word
into
a
noun
.