English Explanatory Dictionary

wherefore

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adv
  1. Why, for what reason, because of what.
  2. Therefore; thus.
conj
  1. Because of which.
noun
  1. An intent or purpose; a why.

Pronunciation

wâ(r)'fô(r)" hwâ(r)'fô(r)" /ˈwɛəˌfɔː/ /ˈweɹˌfɔɹ/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-wherefore.wav hwûr'fôr" /ˈʍɜːɹˌfɔːɹ/

Word forms

wherefore wherefor wherefores

Etymology

From Middle English wherfor, wherfore, hwarfore, equivalent to where- (“what”) + for. Compare Dutch waarvoor (“what for, wherefore”), German wofür (“for what, what for, why”), Danish and Norwegian hvorfor (“wherefore, why”), Swedish varför (“wherefore, why”). More at where, for.

Related words

— henceafter henceforth henceforward henceforwards hencefrom hereabout hereabouts hereabove hereafter hereafters hereagainst hereamong hereanent hereat hereaway herebefore hereby herefor herefore hereforth hereforward hereforwards herefrom herehence hereinabove hereinafter hereinbefore hereinbelow hereinelsewhere hereinsoever hereinto hereinunder heremid hereof hereon hereout hereover herethrough herethroughout hereto heretofore hereunto hereupon herewith herewithal herewithin herewithout hitherto hitherunto hitherward hitherwards howbeit however howso howsoever howsomedever howsomever thataway thatwise

Derived words

why and wherefore whys and wherefores
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