WHENCE

whence

(adverb) from what place, source, or cause

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Adverb

whence (not comparable)

(archaic, formal or literary) From where; from which place or source.

Usage notes

• This word is uncommon in contemporary usage; from where is now usually substituted (as in the example sentence: Where did I come from? or From where did I come?). Whence is now mainly encountered in older works and in poetic or literary writing.

• From whence has a strong literary precedent, appearing in Wyclif's Bible translation, Shakespeare and the King James Bible, as well as in the writings of numerous Victorian-era writers. In recent times, however, it has been criticized as redundant by usage commentators.

Antonyms

• whither

Conjunction

whence

(literary, poetic) Used for introducing the result of a fact that has just been stated.

Antonyms

• whither

Source: Wiktionary

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Whence, adv. Etym: [OE. whennes, whens (with adverbial s, properly a genitive ending; -- see -wards), also whenne, whanene, AS. hwanan, hwanon, hwonan, hwanone; akin to D. when. See When, and cf. Hence, Thence.]

1. From what place; hence, from what or which source, origin, antecedent, premise, or the like; how; -- used interrogatively. Whence hath this man this wisdom Matt. xiii. 54. Whence and what art thou Milton.

2. From what or which place, source, material, cause, etc.; the place, source, etc., from which; -- used relatively. Grateful to acknowledge whence his good Descends. Milton.

Note: All the words of this class, whence, where, whither, whereabouts, etc., are occasionally used as pronouns by a harsh construction. O, how unlike the place from whence they fell Milton.

Note: From whence, though a pleonasm, is fully authorized by the use of good writers. From whence come wars and fightings among you James iv. 1. Of whence, also a pleonasm, has become obsolete.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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