whomsoever

Whomsoever is an English pronoun used to refer to any person, typically in the object position or after a preposition, meaning essentially “whomever” or “to whomsoever.” It is formed by combining the relative pronoun whom with the archaic suffix -soever, which carries a broad, universal sense similar to whatsover, whosoever, or whatsoever.

Usage of whomsoever is largely ceremonial, legal, or literary. It appears in formal phrases such as “to whomsoever it may concern” or “I will grant it to whomsoever you appoint.” In such contexts it functions as an object pronoun, and the form emphasizes inclusivity or universality. In everyday modern English, whomsoever is rare and speakers usually choose whomever for the object position or whoever as the subject.

Relation to related forms: whomsoever is the object form of the wider family that includes whosoever (the subject form) and whomever/whosoever in various constructions. The suffix -soever, appearing in other words like whatever or wherever in older texts, signals a universal or indefinite sense, though its use has faded outside formal writing.

Notes on style and usage: because whomsoever is archaic or highly formal, it is most commonly found in legal documents, ceremonial rhetoric, or historical literature. Modern equivalents in everyday language typically replace it with whomever (object) or whoever (subject), depending on the sentence structure.