who
Asking about identity
“Wh” words share functions as pronouns and conjunctions.
Who and its inflected forms whom and whose have the distinction of being wh words but starting with an h sound.
Who is distinct from that and which in referring to, or having as an antecedent, a person as opposed to a thing: Who was that guy you were with? The people who sold us this house want to buy it back.
Group nouns composed of people or agents can be referred to with who: The companies who invested here are regretting it.
Many speakers today are not keen on using the grammatically correct objective form whom, so many say, for example, Who did you work for before you got this job?
Crime fiction identifying perpetrator
- suspectBelieve to be likely
- culpritPerson found guilty
- perpetratorOne who commits wrongdoing
- detectiveProfessional crime investigator
sleuth · alibi · motive · reveal · unmasking · identity · guilty · innocent
Request for information
- askSeek an answer
- inquireAsk for information
- whichInterrogative for selection
- whatRequesting clarification or repetition
query · wonder · determine · identify · discover · specify · clarify · unknown
Identifying word for someone
- selfOne's own being
- personaAssumed public identity
- individualityUnique personal character
- characterNature, symbol, or role
personality · someone · somebody · person · individual · anyone · everyone · oneself
whodunit
Crime fiction identifying perpetrator
- suspectBelieve to be likely
- culpritPerson found guilty
- perpetratorOne who commits wrongdoing
detective · sleuth · alibi · motive · reveal · unmasking · identity · guilty · innocent · accusation
question
Request for information
what · query · wonder · determine · identify · discover · specify · clarify · unknown
name
Identifying word for someone
- selfOne's own being
- personaAssumed public identity
- individualityUnique personal character
character · personality · someone · somebody · person · individual · anyone · everyone · oneself · personage
finger
Hand's grasping extension
- who caresDismissive indifference expression
- who are youRequest for identification
- who knowsExpression of uncertainty
- guess whoPlayful identity challenge
- everybody who's anyoneAll notable or influential people
- who's thereKnock response query
whoever, whose, who's, whom, who'll, who've, who'd, whomever, whosoever