Is this a valid word?

[PlacidRan]

Is what-to-be a valid word? It's not one word. Those three words are joined by hyphens.

 

[Rover_KE]

Please provide context.

Where did you see this phrase?

I can't imagine how it would be used in a sentence.

Rover

 

[PlacidRan]

He looked at his what-to-be home.

 

[bhaisahab]

He looked at his what-to-be home.

I'm afraid that that sentence doesn't mean anything.

 

[Abstract Idea]

He looked at his what-to-be home.

Maybe: "He looked at his home-to-be."

 

[emsr2d2]

Maybe: "He looked at his home-to-be."

That's exactly what I would suggest. The "what-to-be home" makes no sense. However, we do add "-to-be" these days to many things to make it clear that they will be something in the future.

Obvious examples are saying "husband-to-be" or "wife-to-be" to mean fiancé(é).
Your "mother-in-law-to-be" is the woman who will become your mother-in-law once you are married.
If you have thinking about buying a particular house or have actually started the process of buying it, then it is your "home-to-be".

The only phrase I can think of that actually sounds like "what-to-be" is "wannabe", which has a completely different meaning.

 

[Koronas]

I have seen the phrase "his want-to-be girlfriend" so I think that "his want-to-be-home" might have some rational meaning - although I can't explain what it is!

We do use the phrase: "his soon-to-be" as in "his soon-to-be wife" (meaning his fiancée).
However, it is used only rarely.

 

[emsr2d2]

I have seen the phrase "his want-to-be girlfriend" so I think that "his want-to-be-home" might have some rational meaning - although I can't explain what it is!

We do use the phrase: "his soon-to-be" as in "his soon-to-be wife" (meaning his fiancée).
However, it is used only rarely.

Absolutely with "want-to-be" or "wannabe", but the OP said "what-to-be" which I still can't fathom!