different between wherefore vs whereinto

English

Alternative forms

• wherefor

Etymology

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

• enPR: wâ(r)'fô(r)", IPA^(key): /?we?(?)?f??(?)/
• enPR: hwâ(r)'fô(r)", IPA^(key): /??e?(?)?f??(?)/
• Hyphenation: where?fore

Adverb

wherefore (not comparable)

1. (conjunctive, interrogative, archaic) Why, for what reason, because of what.
   • 1920, Herman Cyril McNeile, chapter 1, in Bulldog Drummond:

     "Good morning, Mrs. Denny," he said. "Wherefore this worried look on your face? Has that reprobate James been misbehaving himself?"

2. (conjunctive, indicative, archaic or formal) Therefore.

Usage notes

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).

See also

• Category:English pronominal adverbs

Conjunction

wherefore

1. (archaic) Because of which.

Translations

Noun

wherefore (plural wherefores)

1. An intent or purpose; a why.

Derived terms

• whys and wherefores

See also

References

English

Etymology

where +? into

Adverb

whereinto (not comparable)

1. Into which.

   • the troubles whereinto the state of Athens fell

Translations

See also