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Added 3 October 2026

whence

/ʍɛns/ adverb

In Latin: unde Wiktionary

adverb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about whence at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

From where, from which: from which place or source.
Whence came I?

conjunction

Used for introducing the result of a fact that has just been stated; thence
The work is slow and dangerous, whence the high costs.

Origin

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

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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