w-h-o-l-e
WHOLE means complete, entire, or undivided—every part together forming a unified entity. Also a homophone with "hole." In Scrabble, WHOLE scores 11 base points with valuable W and H tiles.
11
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
WHOLE captures the essence of completeness—nothing missing, nothing broken, everything present and accounted for. This fundamental concept spans mathematics, philosophy, psychology, and everyday life, representing unity, integrity, and the sum being greater than its parts.
In its most basic sense, whole means entire or complete. We speak of "the whole truth," "whole milk" (with all its fat content), or "a whole day" (from start to finish). This completeness contrasts with partial, fragmented, or incomplete states. The philosophical implications run deep: Is a person still whole after losing a limb? Can a broken heart become whole again? These questions touch on identity, healing, and what constitutes essential completeness.
Mathematics gives "whole" precise meaning through whole numbers—positive integers including zero (0, 1, 2, 3...). These form the foundation of arithmetic, representing complete units without fractions or decimals. The concept extends to "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts," a principle from Gestalt psychology describing how unified systems exhibit properties their components lack individually.
Health and wellness embrace "whole" in multiple contexts. Whole foods retain all edible parts—whole grain includes bran, germ, and endosperm. Holistic medicine treats the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—rather than isolated symptoms. The wellness movement promotes "whole living," integrating physical health, mental well-being, relationships, and purpose into a balanced life.
Language plays with whole/hole homophones, creating puns and wordplay. "I need the whole story, not one full of holes." This sound-alike pair causes frequent spelling errors but enriches English expression. Related phrases multiply: "the whole nine yards" (everything), "whole hog" (completely), "on the whole" (generally speaking), "wholehearted" (complete dedication).
For word game enthusiasts, WHOLE offers solid scoring potential. The W (4 points) and H (4 points) provide good value, totaling 11 base points. Its structure—beginning with WH—limits placement options but rewards strategic positioning. WHOLE extends easily: WHOLES (plural), WHOLER (comparative in some contexts), WHOLESOME (healthy/virtuous). The word works well in parallel plays, especially using the common letters O, L, E for crosswords. Its balanced consonant-vowel pattern makes it relatively playable despite the challenging WH opening.
"Whole" traces back to Old English "hāl," meaning healthy, entire, or uninjured. This ancient root connects physical health with completeness, revealing how our ancestors viewed wellness as wholeness—an integrated state of being.
Etymology progression: • Old English: hāl (healthy, entire, safe) • Proto-Germanic: *hailaz (whole, uninjured, of good omen) • Proto-Indo-European: *kailo- (whole, uninjured) • Related to: heal, health, holy, hale
The spelling evolution shows interesting changes: • Old English: hāl • Middle English: hool, hole (13th century) • Modern English: whole (15th century, W added to distinguish from "hole")
The connection between "whole" and "holy" reveals ancient thinking—what is complete and unbroken is sacred. German "heil" (hail, whole) and Dutch "heel" (whole) share this root. The phrase "hale and hearty" preserves the old form. Even "wassail" (be whole/healthy) comes from this root family. This etymology shows how concepts of health, holiness, and wholeness were once inseparable in human consciousness.
•The phrase "the whole nine yards" may come from WWII machine gun belts, which were nine yards long
•Whole numbers were called "counting numbers" before zero was accepted as a number in Europe
•"Wholesome" originally meant "conducive to health" before gaining its moral connotations
"She dedicated her whole life to the research, never accepting partial solutions or half-measures."
"The whole class erupted in applause—not a single student remained seated or silent."
Common idioms and phrases
The whole nine yards
Everything, all of it
Whole hog
Completely, thoroughly
On the whole
Generally speaking
Whole new ball game
Completely different situation
Whole shebang
Everything involved
Words and ideas connected to wholeness
Wholesome
Healthy, virtuous
Wholesale
In bulk, entirely
Wholehearted
Complete dedication
Wholly
Entirely, completely
Wholeness
State of being complete
Numerical and logical contexts
Whole numbers
0, 1, 2, 3... (integers)
Part to whole
Fraction relationships
Whole set
Complete collection
Sum of parts
Total aggregate
Whole equation
Complete formula
Nutrition and wellness contexts
Whole foods
Unprocessed, natural
Whole grain
All parts of grain kernel
Whole milk
Full-fat dairy
Whole health
Holistic wellness
Whole diet
Complete nutrition
Words meaning complete or entire
Complete
Having all parts
Entire
Whole amount
Total
Sum of all
Intact
Not broken
Unbroken
In one piece
Words meaning incomplete or partial
Partial
Only part
Incomplete
Missing parts
Broken
In pieces
Fragmented
Split apart
Divided
Separated
TOTAL
Complete sum
ENTIRE
All of something
UNITY
State of oneness
INTACT
Not damaged
FULL
Complete capacity
ALL
Every one
Similar length and difficulty words
Total base points: 11 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 2 | Consonants: 3
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like WHOLE