whence

1 of 2

adverb

ˈ(h)wen(t)s 

: from what place, source, or cause

then whence comes this paradox

—Changing Times

whence

2 of 2

conjunction

1

: from what place, source, or cause

inquired whence the water came

—Maria Edgeworth

2

a

: 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

Phrases

from whence

: from what place, source, or cause

no one could tell me from whence the gold had come

—Graham Greene

Examples of whence in a Sentence

Adverb

They returned to the land whence they came.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

In those rhapsodic locales to our north whence so many of us have hailed, summertime is the giddy season that redeems the restive hibernation of winter. —Greg Carannante, Sun Sentinel, 14 June 2024

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, 22 Jan. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English whennes, from whenne whence (from Old English hwanon) + -s, adverb suffix, from -s, genitive singular ending; akin to Old High German hwanān whence, Old English hwā who

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Conjunction

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

whence

1 of 2 adverb

(ˈ)hwen(t)s 

(ˈ)wen(t)s

: from what place, source, or cause

whence come all these doubts

whence

2 of 2 conjunction

: from or out of which place, source, or cause

the land whence they came