adverb “why”
- asking for the cause, reason, or purpose of something
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Why did you decide to become a teacher?
- used to suggest something when not expecting a real answer
Why don't you take a break?
- used in questions to suggest there is no need to do something
Why worry about the rain when we can have fun indoors?
- (relative) used to talk about the reason for a statement
He asked why she was crying.
noun “why”
singular why, plural whys or uncountable
- the cause, reason, or purpose of something
She always asked the whys behind her parents' rules, wanting to understand their reasoning.
interjection “why”
- an dated way to express surprise, annoyance, or impatience
Why, I had no idea you were coming today!