Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

if

/ɪf/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 6.47 in modern English

Syllables: if
IPA: /ɪf/

5

Scrabble Score

2

Letters

1

Syllables

2

Unique Chars

Meaning

conj

Supposing that, assuming that, in the circumstances that; suppositive used to introduce a condition that may be (or prove to be) either true or false.

conj

Supposing that, assuming that, in the circumstances that; suppositive used to introduce a condition that may be (or prove to be) either true or false.

conj

Supposing that; used with past or past perfect subjunctive to indicate a counterfactual or hypothetical condition.

conj

Supposing that; used with past or past perfect subjunctive to indicate a counterfactual or hypothetical condition.

conj

Considering the fact that; given that; introducing a condition that is known to be true.

conj

When; whenever; every time that.

conj

Although; used to introduce a concession; may..but.

conj

Whether; used to introduce a noun clause, an indirect question, that functions as the direct object of certain verbs.

Example Sentences

"I'll do it next week if I have time."
"I'll come only if you do the driving."
"Fetch me a cold beer if there's one in the fridge."
"If I give you the money, will you buy it for me?"
"If you prefer, I can come tomorrow instead."
"if A then B else C"

Etymology

From Middle English if, yif, yef, from Old English ġif (“if”), from Proto-West Germanic *jabu, *jabē, from Proto-Germanic *jabai (“when, if”). Cognate with Scots gif (“if, whether”), Saterland Frisian af, of (“if, whether”), West Frisian oft (“whether”), Dutch of (“or, whether, but”), Middle Low German ef, if, af, of ("if; whether"; > German Low German of), German ob (“if, whether”), Icelandic ef (“if”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: if, ġif, *jabu, *jabai

Usage

Inflected Forms

eef (alternative) ifen (alternative) iffen (alternative) if'n (alternative) ifs (plural)

Derived Forms

elif endif iff iffy ifpology

Phrases

and if an if as if as if by magic as if nothing had happened as if one's life depended on it as if one's life depends on it as-if rule

Frequently Paired Words

and else false or then true whether

Rhymes With

cliff stiff sniff riff whiff diff schiff tiff biff dif griff skiff

Questions

How do you pronounce if?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɪf/.
What does if mean?: Supposing that, assuming that, in the circumstances that; suppositive used to introduce a condition that may be (or prove to be) either true or false.
Where does if come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce if

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “if”.
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