Distinguishing Weather from Whether

Weather vs Whether

Although weather and whether may sound similar in English, they have different meanings and uses. These words, which have different spellings and meanings but similar pronunciation, are known as homonyms. Weather and whether both originate from Old English, with weather being used as a noun and a verb, and whether being used as a conjunction. Both words are also used in various phrases.

What does Weather mean?

The Oxford English dictionary defines weather as “the state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time as regards heat, cloudiness, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc.” In other words, weather is the word used to describe the temperature of a specific area or region, along with the likelihood of rain and other natural phenomena. Terms used to describe the weather of a place include words like rain, wind, breeze, sea, temperature, Celsius, earthquake, flood, and cloud.

The word weather is often preceded by adjectives such as gloomy, rough, hot, and cold, as in the expressions ‘gloomy weather’, ‘rough weather’, ‘hot weather’, and ‘cold weather’. The expression ‘rough weather’ has a special meaning as a difficult or undesirable situation, showing that the word ‘weather’ is sometimes used in idiomatic expressions.

What does Whether mean?

According to the Oxford English dictionary, whether is used as a conjunction “expressing a doubt or choice between alternatives.” In other words, whether is a word used to suggest probability, possibility, or doubt in some cases. Observe the use of the word ‘whether’ in the following sentences:

“I want to know whether you are interested in the project or not.”
“I have a doubt whether he is alive or dead.”

In both sentences, the word whether is used differently. In the first sentence, it suggests a sense of possibility, while in the second sentence, it suggests a sense of doubt. Unlike weather, the word whether is not often used in idiomatic expressions. It is generally used with opposites, such as ‘whether good or bad’, ‘whether east or west’, and ‘whether profit or loss’.

Key Takeaways

• Weather and whether are homonyms with different meanings and uses.
• Weather is used to describe the temperature and atmospheric conditions of a specific area or region, while whether is used to suggest probability, possibility, or doubt.
• Weather is often used in idiomatic expressions, while whether is not.