perhaps

[per-haps]

adverb

1. maybe; possibly.

   Perhaps the package will arrive today.

perhaps

/ pəˈhæps, præps /

adverb

1. 1. possibly; maybe

   2. ( as sentence modifier )

      he'll arrive tomorrow, perhaps

      perhaps you'll see him tomorrow

1. it may happen, be so, etc; maybe

Word History and Origins

Origin of perhaps¹

First recorded in 1520–30; earlier perhappes, perhapis “by haps”; equivalent to per + hap ¹ + -s ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of perhaps¹

C16 perhappes, from per by + happes chance, _hap ¹

Example Sentences

He developed a wipeout splitter and increased the velocity on his fastball, enough to merit perhaps a two-year, $20-million deal.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"The alleged facts indicate that the Times reviewed the available evidence and reported, perhaps in a dramatised manner, what it believed to have happened," he wrote.

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Backing Shafali Verma to bowl in a tense final was an inspired call - a gamble, perhaps, but one that paid off handsomely.

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Alonso has also got the best out of his team's star players, with perhaps one exception.

Read more on Barron's

If the initiative fails to pass, perhaps the lesson will be to present voters with fewer ideas at a time.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal