FromOld Norsehverr (fromProto-Germanic*hwarjaz) and*hver (fromProto-Germanic*hwaz), which were conflated in late Old Norse. Most of the inflected forms of *hwaz have since become obsolete, and what remains in form is essentially the descendant of *hwarjaz, but with an extra form for the neuter nominative and accusative singular:hvað from Old Norsehvat.
(interrogative)which(referring to one or several of more than two things or persons) [withgenitivenounphraseoraf‘of’]
Hver þeirrafinnst þér bestur, hvíti, græni eða appelsínugulibíllinn?
Which of these do you like best, the white, the green, or the orange car?
(interrogative, neuter singular)what, which part(referring to part of a mass or group of things or people considered collectively)[withaf(+dative)‘of’]
Hver maður er borinn frjáls og jafn öðrum að virðingu og réttindum. Menn eru gæddir vitsmunum og samvizku, og ber þeim að breyta bróðurlega hverjum við annan.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Ásgeir Blöndal Magnússon (1989)Íslensk orðsifjabók, Reykjavík: Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies,→ISBN(Available atMálið.is under the “Eldri orðabækur” tab.)
Kristín Bjarnadóttir, editor (2002–2025), “hver”, inBeygingarlýsing íslensks nútímamáls [The Database of Modern Icelandic Inflection] (in Icelandic), Reykjavík: The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies
