whereof
/(h)wɛɹˈʌv/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.45 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
conj
Of what.
Formal
conj
Of which.
Formal
conj
Of whom.
Formal
conj
With or by which.
Archaic
adv
Of what.
Archaic
adv
Of which.
Archaic
Example Sentences
- "SATURNINUS: Go fetch them hither to us presently. TITUS: Why, there they are, both baked in that pie, Whereof their mother daintily hath fed, Eating the flesh that she herself hath bred."
- "However, upon a ſtrict Review, I blotted out ſeveral Paſſages of leſs Moment which were in my firſt Copy, for fear of being cenſured as tedious and trifling, whereof Travellers are often, perhaps not without Juſtice, accuſed."
- "Then they set somewhat of food before me, whereof I ate my fill, and gave me somewhat of clothes wherewith I clad myself anew and covered my nakedness; after which they took me up into the ship, […]"
- "Now one day of the days, […] the Sultan cast his eyes upon her as she stood before him, and said to his Grand Wazir, “This be the very woman whereof I spake to thee yesterday, so do thou straightway bring her before me, that I may see what be her suit and fulfil her need.”"
- "Anthonio. [I]n ſooth I know not why I am ſo ſad, It wearies me: you ſay it wearies you; But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What ſtuffe ’tis made of, whereof it is borne, I am to learne: and ſuch a Want-wit ſadnesse makes of mee, That I haue much ado to know my ſelfe."
- "Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent."
Etymology
From Middle English wherof; equivalent to where + of. Compare the parallel formations of Swedish varav and Dutch waaraf.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /(h)wɛɹˈʌv/
- British English: /wɛəɹˈɒv/
Usage
Phrases
in witness whereof
know whereof one speaks
1. Scottish2. from Middle English mid3. old dialectal form