whence

adverb

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\ ˈ(h)wen(t)s

Definition of whence

(Entry 1 of 2)

: from what place, source, or cause then whence comes this paradox — Changing Times

from whence

: from what place, source, or cause no one could tell me from whence the gold had come— Graham Greene

whence

conjunction

Definition of whence (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : from what place, source, or cause inquired whence the water came— Maria Edgeworth

2a : from or out of which place, source, or cause the lawless society whence the ballads sprang— DeLancey Ferguson

b : by reason of which fact nothing broke—whence I infer that my bones are not yet chalky— O. W. Holmes †1935

Examples of whence in a Sentence

Adverb They returned to the land whence they came.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb In the season 4 finale of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, the titular super-screwups publicly defeated the demon Neron, thus erasing the dystopian future from whence cynical hacktivist Zari (Tala Ashe) initially came. — Chancellor Agard, EW.com, "DC's Legends of Tomorrow boss finally reveals how Zari has changed in season 5," 22 Jan. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'whence.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.