whereof

English

Etymology

From Middle English wherof; equivalent to where +‎ of. Compare the parallel formations of Swedish varav and Dutch waaraf.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /wɛəɹˈɒv/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /(h)wɛɹˈʌv/
• Rhymes: -ɒv, -ʌv

Conjunction

whereof

1. (formal) Of what.
2. (formal) Of which.
   • c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     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.

   • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “A Great Storm Described, the Long-Boat Sent to Fetch Water, the Author Goes with It to Discover the Country. ”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. , volume I, London: Benj Motte, , →OCLC, part II (A Voyage to Brobdingnag), page :

     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.

   • 1885, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “ The Fifth Voyage of Sindbad the Seaman. ”, in A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night , Shammar edition, volume VI, : Burton Club , →OCLC, page 53:

     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, […]

3. (formal) Of whom.
   • 1887, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Alaeddin; or, The Wonderful Lamp. [Night 547.]”, in Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night , Shammar edition, volume III, : Burton Club , →OCLC, page 108:

     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.”

4. (archaic) With or by which.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Adverb

whereof (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Of what.
   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 163, column 1:

     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.

   • 1922, Ludwig Wittgenstein, translated by F. P. Ramsey and C. K. Ogden, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, →OCLC, Proposition 7, page 189:

     Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.

2. (archaic) Of which.

Derived terms

• know whereof one speaks

References

• John A. Simpson and Edmund S. C. Weiner, editors (1989), “whereof, adv.”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, →ISBN.

See also

Anagrams

• forehew