Old English hwæt, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wat and German was, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin quod .
What meaning : asking for information specifying something. the thing or things that (used in specifying something). (in exclamations) emphasizing something surprising or remarkable. asking for information specifying something. (referring to the whole of an amount) whatever. (in exclamations) how great or remarkable. to what extent? used to indicate an estimate or approximation. used for emphasis or to invite agreement.