therefore

English

Etymology

From Middle English therfore, therfor, tharfore, thorfore; synchronically a univerbation of there (pronominal adverb) +‎ for, literally “for that (reason)”. The spelling has been changed due to a reanalysis as there + fore (literally “forward from that; thence”). See also therefor, ultimately the same formation.

Compare Saterland Frisian deerfoar, Dutch daarvoor, German dafür, Danish and Norwegian derfor, Swedish därför.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈðɛə.fɔː/
  • (General American) enPR: thârʹfôr, IPA(key): /ˈðɛɚ.foɹ/
  • IPA(key): (obsolete) /ˈðɜːɹˌfɔːɹ/[1]
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)fɔː(ɹ)
  • Hyphenation: there‧fore

Adverb

therefore (not comparable)

  1. (conjunctive) Consequently, by or in consequence of that or this cause; referring to something previously stated.
    Traditional values will always have a place—therefore, they will never lose relevance.
    I've been explicitly forbidden to leave and therefore must stay longer.
    I left the office at 5 o'clock. I was therefore not there when the fire started a quarter of an hour later.
  2. (conjunctive, archaic) for that; for it (in reference to a previous statement)

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

See also

Here-, there-, and where- words
Pronominal adverbs
about abouts above across after afters again against along among amongst anent1 around as at away beit before beside between beyond by ever for fore forth forward forwards from hence inabove inafter inbefore inbelow inelsewhere insoever into inunder mid2 of on out over so soever somedever3 somever3 through throughout to tofore unto up upon ward wards -wise with withal within without
hence — — — — henceafter — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — henceforth henceforward henceforwards hencefrom — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
here hereabout hereabouts hereabove — hereafter hereafters — hereagainst — hereamong hereamongst hereanent — — hereat hereaway — herebefore — — — hereby — herefor herefore hereforth hereforward hereforwards herefrom herehence hereinabove hereinafter hereinbefore hereinbelow hereinelsewhere hereinsoever hereinto hereinunder heremid hereof hereon hereout hereover — — — — herethrough herethroughout hereto heretofore hereunto — hereupon — — — herewith herewithal herewithin herewithout
hither — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — hitherto — hitherunto — — hitherward hitherwards — — — — —
how — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — howbeit — — — — — however — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — howso howsoever howsomedever howsomever — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
that — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — thataway — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — thatwise — — — —
thence — — — — — thenceafter — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — thenceforth thenceforward thenceforwards thencefrom — — — — — — — — — — — — thenceout — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
there thereabout thereabouts thereabove thereacross thereafter thereafters thereagain thereagainst therealong thereamong thereamongst thereanent therearound — thereat thereaway — therebefore therebeside therebetween therebeyond thereby therever therefor thereforth — — therefrom therehence thereinabove thereinafter thereinbefore thereinbelow — — thereinto thereinunder theremid thereof thereon thereout thereover — theresoever — — therethrough therethroughout thereto theretofore thereunto thereup thereupon — — — therewith therewithal therewithin therewithout
this — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — thisaway — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — thiswise — — — —
thither — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — thitherinsoever — — — — — — — — — — — — — thitherto — — — — thitherward thitherwards — — — — —
what — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — whatever — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — whatso whatsoever whatsomedever whatsomever — — — — — — — — — whatwise — — — —
when whenabout whenabouts — — — — — — — — — — — whenas — — — — — — — — whenever — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — whenso whensoever — whensomever — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
whence — — — — whenceafter — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — whencever — — whenceforth whenceforward — whencefrom — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — whenceward whencewards — — — — —
where whereabout whereabouts whereabove — whereafter whereafters — whereagainst wherealong whereamong whereamongst whereanent wherearound whereas whereat whereaway — wherebefore wherebeside wherebetween wherebeyond whereby wherever wherefor wherefore whereforth — — wherefrom wherehence whereinabove whereinafter whereinbefore whereinbelow — whereinsoever whereinto whereinunder wheremid whereof whereon whereout whereover whereso wheresoever — wheresomever wherethrough wherethroughout whereto wheretofore whereunto whereup whereupon — — — wherewith wherewithal wherewithin wherewithout
whither — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — whitherever — — — — — — — — — — — — whitherinsoever — — — — — — — whitherso — — — — — whitherto whithertofore — — — whitherward whitherwards — — — — —
why — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — whyever whyfor — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — whyso whysoever — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
1. Scottish
2. from Middle English mid
3. old dialectal form

References

  1. ^ Jespersen, Otto (1909) A Modern English Grammar on Historical Principles (Sammlung germanischer Elementar- und Handbücher; 9)‎[1], volume I: Sounds and Spellings, London: George Allen & Unwin, published 1961, § 4.36, page 124.
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