whence meaning (archaic): definition, etymology and quotations

whence

adv

/ʍɛns/ · /wɛns/

Etymology From Middle English whennes, from Old English hwanon (with adverbial genitive -s), related to hwonne (whence when). Analyzable as when + -s.

Archaic, Formal, Literary From where; from which place or source.

Whence came I?
"Pork" comes from French, whence we get most of our modern cooking terms.

4 more examples

Go to whence you came!
That envy whence comes hate.
Ieſus anſwered, and ſaid vnto them, Though I beare record of my ſelfe, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I goe: but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I goe.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 8:14, column 1:
I could plainly diſcover from whence one Family derives a long Chin; why a ſecond hath abounded with Knaves for two Generations, and Fools for two more; why a third happened to be crack-brained, and a fourth to be Sharpers.1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “A Further Account of Glubbdubdrib. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part III (A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdribb, Luggnagg, and Japan), page 108:

Derived terms: anywhence, elsewhence, everywhence, nowhence, somewhence, whenceafter, whenceforth, whenceforward, whencefrom, whencesoever, whencever
Related terms: hence, thence

whence

conj

Etymology From Middle English whennes, from Old English hwanon (with adverbial genitive -s), related to hwonne (whence when). Analyzable as when + -s.

Literary, Poetic Used for introducing the result of a fact that has just been stated; thence

The work is slow and dangerous, whence the high costs.
I scored more than you in the exam, whence we can conclude that I am better at the subject than you are.

Antonyms: whither
Related terms: hence, thence