English [ edit ]

Alternative forms [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ]

From Middle English wherfor, wherfore, hwarfore, equivalent to where- (“=what”) +‎ for. Compare Dutch waarvoor (“what for, wherefore”), German wofür (“for what, what for, why”), Danish and Norwegian hvorfor (“wherefore, why”), Swedish varför (“wherefore, why”). More at where, for.

Pronunciation [ edit ]

Adverb [ edit ]

wherefore (not comparable)

Usage notes [ edit ]

A common misconception is that wherefore means where; it is occasionally so used in retellings of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet—often for comedic effect. In Romeo and Juliet, the meaning of “Wherefore art thou Romeo?” (Act II, scene ii, line 33) is not “Where are you, Romeo?” but “Why are you Romeo?” (“Why do you have to be a Montague?”, that is, a member of the family which was feuding with Juliet’s family).[1]

See also [ edit ]

Conjunction [ edit ]

wherefore

Translations [ edit ]

Noun [ edit ]

wherefore (plural wherefores)

Derived terms [ edit ]

See also [ edit ]