Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

wherefor

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables
where-for
IPA
17
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

Alternative spelling of wherefore.

Dated

noun

Alternative spelling of wherefore.

Dated

conj

For which.

Etymology

From Middle English wherefore, wherefor (“for what reason; why”), equivalent to where (“what”) + fore (“for”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

Usage

Inflected Forms

wherefors (plural)

Phrases

1. Scottish2. from Middle English mid3. old dialectal form

Frequently Paired Words

— henceafter henceforth henceforward henceforwards hencefrom hereabout hereabouts

Questions

What does wherefor mean?
Alternative spelling of wherefore.
Where does wherefor come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce wherefor

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “wherefor”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “wherefor”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “wherefor” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.