whence

[ wens, hwens ]

adverb

1. from what place?:

   Whence comest thou?

2. from what source, origin, or cause?:

   Whence has he wisdom?

conjunction

1. from what place, source, cause, etc.:

   He told whence he came.

whence

/ wɛns /

adverb

1. from what place, cause, or origin?

pronoun

1. subordinating from what place, cause, or origin

Usage Note

Although sometimes criticized as redundant on the grounds that “from” is implied by the word whence, the idiom from whence is old in the language, well established, and standard. Among its users are the King James Bible, Shakespeare, Dryden, and Dickens: Hilary finally settled in Paris, from whence she bombarded us with letters, postcards, and sketches. From thence, a parallel construction, occurs infrequently.

Usage

The expression from whence should be avoided, since whence already means from which place: the tradition whence (not from whence ) such ideas flowed

Word History and Origins

Origin of whence¹

1250–1300; Middle English whennes, whannes, equivalent to whanne (by syncope from Old English hwanone whence) + -s -s ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of whence¹

C13 whannes, adverbial genitive of Old English hwanon; related to Old Frisian hwana, Old High German hwanan

Example Sentences

And where was this magical land of Khorasan, whence the conquerors would come?

From The Daily Beast

Then the man got dressed, got back on his bicycle and rode off from whence he came.

From The Daily Beast

It is no longer exclusively the domain of “the ghetto” from whence it came.

From The Daily Beast

Egyptians leave the country to seek work elsewhere, whence they can send remittances home.

From The Daily Beast

So, like a good troll, please go back under the bridge from whence you came.

From The Daily Beast

The Colonel and his two friends rode back towards the south, from whence they came.

From Project Gutenberg

O wicked presumption, whence camest thou to cover the earth with thy malice, and deceitfulness?

From Project Gutenberg

These are obtained easily, whence follow the sinister reports that they give your Majesty, to the harm of the public welfare.

From Project Gutenberg

Once he suddenly found himself in the road driving a small flock of goats, whose he knew not, nor whence he got them.

From Project Gutenberg

Several sentinels drew around the vehicle, with demands whence it came, and what was the object of the persons it contained.

From Project Gutenberg