Whence (?), adv. [OE. whennes, whens (with
adverbial s, properly a genitive ending; -- see -wards), also whenne, whanene, AS. hwanan, hwanon, hwonan,
hwanone; akin to D. when. See When, and cf. Hence, Thence.]
1. From what place; hence, from what or
which source, origin, antecedent, premise, or the like; how;
-- used interrogatively.
Whence hath this man
this wisdom?
Matt. xiii. 54. Whence and what art thou?
Milton.
2. From what or which
place, source, material, cause, etc.; the place, source, etc., from which; -- used relatively.
Grateful to acknowledge whence
his good
Descends.
Milton. &fist;
All the words of this class, whence, where, whither,
whereabouts, etc., are occasionally used as
pronouns by a harsh construction.
O, how unlike the place from whence they fell?
Milton. &fist; From whence, though a pleonasm, is fully authorized by the use of good writers.
From whence come wars and fightings among you?
James
iv. 1. Of whence, also a pleonasm, has become obsolete.
Hear it pronounced