whole

/hoʊl/

/həʊl/

Other forms: wholes; wholely

Something that exists in its entirety is whole. If there are eight slices of pizza and you eat half, you've eaten four of them. If you eat the whole pizza, you've somehow managed to eat all eight slices.

In terms of mental or physical health, whole describes someone who is healthy or uninjured. It might take you a while after a traumatic experience to feel whole again. Whole siblings are brothers and sisters who share both parents (as opposed to half siblings, who have only one parent in common). All the parts of an object taken collectively make up the whole of that object.

Definitions of whole

1. noun

   all of something including all its component elements or parts
   “Europe considered as a whole”

   “the whole of American literature”

   types:

   unit

   a single undivided whole

   compound

   a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts

   complex, composite

   a conceptual whole made up of complicated and related parts

   one

   a single person or thing

   hybrid

   a composite of mixed origin

   syndrome

   a complex of concurrent things

   type of:

   concept, conception, construct

   an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances
2. noun

   an assemblage of parts that is regarded as a single entity
   “how big is that part compared to the whole?”

   synonyms: unit

   types:

   congener

   a whole (a thing or person) of the same kind or category as another

   animate thing, living thing

   a living (or once living) entity

   natural object

   an object occurring naturally; not made by man

   artefact, artifact

   a man-made object taken as a whole

   assembly

   a unit consisting of components that have been fitted together

   item

   a whole individual unit; especially when included in a list or collection

   aggregate, sum, total, totality

   the whole amount

   being, organism

   a living thing that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently

   life

   living things collectively

   biont

   a discrete unit of living matter

   cell

   (biology) the basic structural and functional unit of all organisms; they may exist as independent units of life (as in monads) or may form colonies or tissues as in higher plants and animals

   article

   one of a class of artifacts

   facility

   something designed and created to serve a particular function and to afford a particular convenience or service

   cocoon

   silky envelope spun by the larvae of many insects to protect pupas and by spiders to protect eggs

   Americana

   any artifact (such as books or furniture or art) that is distinctive of America

   anachronism

   an artifact that belongs to another time

   antiquity

   an artifact surviving from the past

   block

   a solid piece of something (usually having flat rectangular sides)

   button

   any artifact that resembles a button

   commodity, good, trade good

   articles of commerce

   cone

   any cone-shaped artifact

   covering

   an artifact that covers something else (usually to protect or shelter or conceal it)

   creation

   an artifact that has been brought into existence by someone

   custom-built, custom-made

   an item made to the customer's specifications

   decker

   (often used in combinations) something constructed with multiple levels

   decoration, ornament, ornamentation

   something used to beautify

   disposable

   an item that can be disposed of after it has been used

   electroplate

   any artifact that has been plated with a thin coat of metal by electrolysis

   excavation

   a hole in the ground made by excavating

   duplicate, extra

   something additional of the same kind

   cloth, fabric, material, textile

   artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers

   facility, installation

   a building or place that provides a particular service or is used for a particular industry

   fixture

   an object firmly fixed in place (especially in a household)

   float

   something that floats on the surface of water

   insert, inset

   an artifact that is inserted or is to be inserted

   instrumentality, instrumentation

   an artifact (or system of artifacts) that is instrumental in accomplishing some end

   bed, layer

   single thickness of usually some homogeneous substance

   lemon, stinker

   an artifact (especially an automobile) that is defective or unsatisfactory

   line

   something (as a cord or rope) that is long and thin and flexible

   marker

   some conspicuous object used to distinguish or mark something

   mystification

   something designed to mystify or bewilder

   opening

   a vacant or unobstructed space that is man-made

   cushioning, padding

   artifact consisting of soft or resilient material used to fill or give shape or protect or add comfort

   piece

   an item that is an instance of some type

   plaything, toy

   an artifact designed to be played with

   ready-made

   a manufactured artifact (as a garment or piece of furniture) that is made in advance and available for purchase

   restoration

   some artifact that has been restored or reconstructed

   flat solid, sheet

   a flat artifact that is thin relative to its length and width

   sphere

   any spherically shaped artifact

   square

   any artifact having a shape similar to a plane geometric figure with four equal sides and four right angles

   squeaker

   any artifact that makes a squeaking sound when used

   slip, strip

   artifact consisting of a narrow flat piece of material

   construction, structure

   a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts

   surface

   the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary

   thing

   an artifact

   track

   a pair of parallel rails providing a runway for wheels

   way

   any artifact consisting of a road or path affording passage from one place to another

   weight

   an artifact that is heavy

   body, organic structure, physical structure

   the entire structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

   body, dead body

   a natural object consisting of a dead animal or person

   asterism

   (astronomy) a cluster of stars or a small constellation

   black body, blackbody, full radiator

   a hypothetical object capable of absorbing all the electromagnetic radiation falling on it

   body

   an individual 3-dimensional object that has mass and that is distinguishable from other objects

   carpet

   a natural object that resembles or suggests a carpet

   celestial body, heavenly body

   a natural object visible in the sky

   consolidation

   something that has consolidated into a compact mass

   constellation

   a configuration of stars as seen from the earth

   cover, covering, natural covering

   a natural object that covers or envelops

   estraterrestrial body, extraterrestrial object

   a natural object existing outside the earth and outside the earth's atmosphere

   mechanism

   a natural object resembling a machine in structure or function

   nest

   a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young

   radiator

   any object that radiates energy

   rock, stone

   a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

   sample

   all or part of a natural object that is collected and preserved as an example of its class

   tangle

   a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven

   cosmos, creation, existence, macrocosm, universe, world

   everything that exists anywhere

   plant part, plant structure

   any part of a plant or fungus

   building material

   material used for constructing buildings

   pavement, paving, paving material

   material used to pave an area

   type of:

   object, physical object

   a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
3. adjective

   including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
   “gave his whole attention”

   “a whole wardrobe for the tropics”

   “the whole hog”

   “a whole week”

   “the baby cried the whole trip home”

   “a whole loaf of bread”

   synonyms:

   entire, full, total

   constituting the full quantity or extent; complete

   full-length

   representing or accommodating the entire length

   full-page

   occupying an entire page in a book or paper

   entire, intact, integral

   constituting the undiminished entirety; lacking nothing essential especially not damaged

   livelong

   (of time) constituting the full extent or duration

   undivided

   not separated into parts or shares; constituting an undivided unit

   complete

   having every necessary or normal part or component or step

   antonyms:

   fractional

   constituting or comprising a part or fraction of a possible whole or entirety

   aliquot

   signifying an exact divisor or factor of a quantity

   divisional

   constituting a division or an aliquot part of the basic monetary unit

   fragmental, fragmentary, snippy

   consisting of small disconnected parts

   half

   consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

   halfway

   including only half or a portion

   waist-length

   (of clothing) extending only to the waist

   incomplete, uncomplete

   not complete or total; not completed
4. adjective

   acting together as a single undiversified whole
   synonyms: solid, unanimous

   undiversified

   not diversified
5. adjective

   exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health
   “whole in mind and body”

   “a whole person again”

   synonyms: hale

   healthy

   having or indicating good health in body or mind; free from infirmity or disease
6. adjective

   not injured
   synonyms: unharmed, unhurt, unscathed

   uninjured

   not injured physically or mentally
7. adjective

   (of siblings) having the same parents
   “whole brothers and sisters”

   antonyms:

   half

   (of siblings) related through one parent only
8. adverb

   to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (`whole' is often used informally for `wholly')
   “a whole new idea”

   synonyms: all, altogether, completely, entirely, totally, wholly