Whom
/huːm/noun
A pronoun used to refer to a person or people previously mentioned or easily identified.
Did you know?The word 'whom' has been used since Old English to indicate not just identity, but also status, hinting at an ancient hierarchy in language.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kwe
“a root pronoun meaning 'who' or 'what'.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
τίς (tís)
“a pronoun meaning 'who' or 'which'.”
Old English
Old English
hwā
“an interrogative pronoun meaning 'who'.”
Old English
Old English
hwom
“the accusative/dative form of 'who', used in specific grammatical contexts.”
Middle English
Middle English
whom
“the accusative/dative form of 'who', solidifying its role in formal speech.”
Modern English
English
whom
“still used today, primarily in formal contexts, maintaining its historical grammatical function.”