adv
Meaning 1
How; In what way; however
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Phrase guide
how so
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
adv
Meaning 2
Why; For what reason.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adv
Meaning 3
Used as an intensifier.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
phrase
Meaning 4
How?; In what way?
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- The city of Melbourne has much more culture than Sydney. ― How so?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
phrase
Meaning 5
Why?; For what reason?
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic
Examples
- I'm feeling really depressed. ― How so?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From ellipsis of "how is that so?", and also continuing Middle English how-so, hou-so, hu se (“however, in whatsoever way”). Compare West Frisian hoesa (“how so, why”), Dutch hoezo (“how so, why”), German Low German woso (“how so, why”), German wieso (“how so, why”), Swedish hurså (“how so”). By surface analysis, how + so.
Across languages
Translations
8 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Finnish: miten niin — why
- Finnish: kuinka niin — why
- Finnish: kuin niin — why
- German: wieso — why
- Polish: w jaki sposób? — why
- Polish: jak to? — why
- Swedish: hurså — why
- Swedish: hur så — why