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Glite Dictionary
wherefrom

wherefrom

1 9.9
Where something comes from
  • adverb
  • /ˈwɛrfrəm/
  • Archaic
: de dónde
  • I wonder wherefrom this rumor originated.

Examples

  • He could not tell wherefrom the strange noise came.

  • The letter arrived, but she did not know wherefrom it had been sent.

  • They wondered wherefrom the old legend had originated.

  • Can you tell me wherefrom you got that information?

  • The magician asked the audience wherefrom they thought the rabbit had come.

  • She wanted to know wherefrom the strange noise was originating.

  • Can you tell me wherefrom you obtained this rare book?

Synonyms

whence
vswherefrom
  • Archaic
34 9.9

From where something comes

focuses only on place or source, not cause
therefrom
vswherefrom
  • Archaic
3 9.9

From the thing, place, or source just mentioned

asks which place or source in general, not a specific earlier one
whencesoever
vswherefrom
  • Archaic
1 9.9

From whatever place or source

asks for a specific place or source rather than any

Surface Forms

wherefrom positive

Morphology

wherefrom = where (transparent) = from + where

The meaning is a direct combination of 'where' + 'from' ('from which place'), so knowing the components lets a learner infer the meaning. [Postprocessing: moved 'from' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Wherefrom is an old compound of where and from, so it literally means 'from what place' or 'from which source'. A helpful way to remember it is to think of the phrase 'from where' used in older or formal English, which is why wherefrom asks where something came from.