Standard Lemma guide

whatnot

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈwɒt.nɒt/
  • US: /ˈwʌt.nɑt/
  • US: /ˈʍʌt.nɑt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: W AH1 T N AA2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: HH W AH1 T N AA2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A small unspecified object; bric-a-brac (in plural).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Other related objects or ideas.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Qualifier: set phrase

Examples

  • At the lexicography club, we welcome all discussion of words and whatnot.
  • All of the cakes and whatnot have been laid out, ready for the children's birthday party this afternoon.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A freestanding set of shelves on which ornaments are displayed; an etagere.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: furniture, lifestyle

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

miscellaneous curios

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bric-a-brac, knickknack, nicknack, knickknackery

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: curio, curiosity, oddity, oddment, peculiarity, rarity

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kw- Proto-Indo-European *kwís Proto-Germanic *hwat Proto-West Germanic *hwat Old English hwæt Middle English what English what Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Germanic *ne Proto-West Germanic *ne Proto-Indo-European *h2ey- Proto-Indo-European *-u Proto-Indo-European *h2óyu Proto-Indo-European *-osinflu. Proto-Germanic *aiwaz Proto-West Germanic *aiw univ. Proto-West Germanic *naiw Proto-Indo-European *wekw- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *wékwtisder.? Proto-Indo-European *weǵh- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *wéǵhtisder.? Proto-Germanic *wihtą Proto-West Germanic *wiht Proto-West Germanic *naiwwiht Old English nāwiht Old English *nōht Middle English nought Middle English not English not English whatnot From what + not.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: sen sellainen — other related objects or ideas
  • Finnish: mikälie — other related objects or ideas
  • Hungarian: miegymás — other related objects or ideas
  • Russian: про́чее (próčeje) — other related objects or ideas
  • Serbo-Croatian: šta sve ne — other related objects or ideas
  • Spanish: cantinela — other related objects or ideas
  • Finnish: avohyllykkö — etagere
  • Finnish: etasääri — etagere
  • French: étagère — etagere
  • Ido: etajero — etagere
  • Polish: etażerka — etagere
  • Russian: этаже́рка (etažérka) — etagere
  • Swedish: etagär — etagere