Somewhats

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

  1. To a moderate or limited extent ; certain things that are not specified or only partially understood
  2. In a manner that is not complete but rather partial ; referring to unspecific items or matters in some measure
  3. To a degree that is neither full nor minimal ; involving unspecified elements to a certain but not full extent

Etymology: The adverb in question is a pluralized or intensified form of "somewhat," a word used to indicate a moderate degree or extent of something. "Somewhat" itself emerged in English during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th or 15th century, formed from the Old English "sum" meaning "some" combined with "what," which in this context functioned as an indefinite pronoun. Together, these elements conveyed the idea of "to some extent" or "in some measure." The addition of an -s at the end to create "somewhats" is unusual and not standard in contemporary English usage. Typically, adverbs like "somewhat" do not take plural forms because they describe degrees or manners rather than countable entities. However, the plural form may have appeared historically or colloquially to emphasize varying degrees or multiple instances of "somewhat," functioning almost like a noun referring to "somewhat-ness" in multiple respects. Such formations could arise in dialects or poetic contexts where flexibility in word forms allows for creative expression. The suffix -s is commonly used to mark plurals in English, but applying it to an adverb is a morphological stretch, suggesting that the word might have been coined playfully or for rhetorical effect rather than as a stable part of the lexicon. There is little evidence of "somewhats" entering formal English dictionaries or widespread usage. In sum, the base "somewhat" traces back to early English combining simple demonstratives and indefinite pronouns to express partial degree. The pluralized variant likely represents an informal or nonce formation rather than a historically rooted or grammatically standard word. It highlights how English speakers sometimes experiment with word forms beyond conventional rules.

Synonyms: partly, moderately, slightly

Antonyms: completely, entirely, totally