Wherefore

Pronunciation

• enPR: wâ(r)'fô(r)", IPA: /ˈweÉ™(r)ËŒfɔː(r)/
• enPR: hwâ(r)'fô(r)", IPA: /ˈʍeÉ™(r)ËŒfɔː(r)/

Origin

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.

Full definition of wherefore

Adverb

1. (conjunctive, archaic) Why, for what reason, because of what.
• 1920, Herman Cyril McNeile, Bulldog Drummond Chapter 1"Good morning, Mrs. Denny," he said. "Wherefore this worried look on your face? Has that reprobate James been misbehaving himself?"
• "Job", Holy Bible King James Version, 21:7:Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
• 1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo, O Romeo. Wherefore art thou, Romeo?
• 1595, William Shakespeare, Every why hath a wherefore.
2. (conjunctive, archaic or formal) Therefore.

Usage notes

A common misconception is that wherefore means where; it has even been used in that sense in cartoon depictions of Romeo and Juliet, often played for comedic effect. In Romeo and Juliet, the meaning of “Wherefore art thou Romeo?” () is not “Where are you, Romeo?” but “Why are you Romeo?” (i.e. “Why did you have to be a Montague?”).

Phrase Finder|262200|O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?

Conjunction

1. (archaic) Because of which.
• Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:
  Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant. (Isaiah 30:12-13)
• 1914 , Edgar Rice Burroughs , The Mucker Chapter , Wherefore it was that by the time the authorities awoke to the fact that something had happened Billy Byrne was fifty miles west of Joliet, bowling along aboard a fast Santa Fe freight.

Noun

1. An intent or purpose; a why.
• 1996, Richard Bausch, Good evening Mr. & Mrs. America, and all the ships at sea, They want their money without reference to the hows and wherefores.

Derived terms