Dictionary

whereof en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (General-American) audio
• /(h)wɛɹˈʌv/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /wɛəɹˈɒv/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. (archaic, not-comparable) Of what.
   • Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent. 1922, Ludwig Wittgenstein, translated by F. P. Ramsey and C. K. Ogden, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, →OCLC, Proposition 7, page 189:
   • 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. 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[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 163, column 1:
2. (archaic, not-comparable) Of which.

Deriveds

know whereof one speaks

Relateds

whereover · whitherever · wheresomever · thisaway · whencewards · therewith · thenceforwards · whereforth · hereto · hereagainst · thereagain · thereunto · wherebeside · thereafters · whereinabove · hereabout · hereaway · thencefrom · whereout · wheremid · hereon · hereout · thereinafter · whereup · therehence · herewithal · hereinafter · wherewith · whereinsoever · thereabout · whereaway · therefrom · therefore · thereacross · hereof · hereabove · thereinto · wherealong · whenceafter · whyfor · thereanent · hitherwards · wherefore · thereinunder · — · whensoever · thitherto · thataway · hitherunto · howso · wherearound · theretofore · herewith · thereby · whereto · wherehence · thereamong · thenceout · heremid · whereinbefore · therethrough · herefrom · whereabouts · whereamongst · thereat · whereunto · henceafter · whereinafter · thereup · thenceafter · hereinbefore · hereforwards · hereamong · whereagainst · hereupon · heretofore · whenabout · thereover · thereinbelow · therefor · whysoever · whereamong · wherefrom · herebefore · thatwise · whatsomedever · hitherward · whatsoever · hereinsoever · herefor · whatso · thereinabove · whitherso · hereby · whereupon · whereat · therealong · therethroughout · therebefore · thitherward · herewithout · thereforth · wherethrough · wherebetween · howbeit · whenso · herewithin · wherebeyond · howsoever · thereabouts · whenceforward · hereinbelow · whyso · whatever · whithertofore · thereof · herefore · therearound · hereabouts · wherefor · thereupon · hereforth · hereanent · whitherto · whencefrom · whereafters · whereinto · whereinunder · hereover · therebeside · hereafter · therewithal · whereinbelow · 1. Scottish2. from Middle English mid3. old dialectal form · whencever · hereunto · wherebefore · thiswise · henceforward · thenceforward · whenas · hencefrom · hereafters · thitherinsoever · wherever · thereon · thereout · howsomever · howsomedever · thereagainst · whereabove · hereinto · hereinunder · henceforth · thereamongst · whenceward · thereaway · whenceforth · therebetween · whereby · whereon · therever · whereafter · henceforwards · wheretofore · thereto · whitherinsoever · wheresoever · whitherwards · wherewithin · whereso · whyever · whatwise · thereinbefore · therewithin · wherewithout · however · whereanent · hereforward · thereafter · whereabout · thitherwards · whatsomever · thenceforth · wherewithal · hereinabove · whenabouts · hereat · hereinelsewhere · whitherward · herethroughout · whenever · therebeyond · therewithout · hitherto · thereabove · herethrough · whensomever · wherethroughout · theremid · herehence · whereas · theresoever

whereof en · CCONJ

Pronunciation

• (General-American) audio
• /(h)wɛɹˈʌv/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /wɛəɹˈɒv/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. (formal) Of what.
2. (formal) Of which.
   • 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. 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. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part II (A Voyage to Brobdingnag), page [176]:
   • 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, […] 1885, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “[Sindbad the Seaman and Sindbad the Landsman] The Fifth Voyage of Sindbad the Seaman. [Night 558.]”, 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, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC, page 53:
   • 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. 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[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:
3. (formal) Of whom.
   • 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.” 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, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC, page 108:
4. (archaic) With or by which.

Deriveds

in witness whereof

Relateds

whence

Translations (20)

hu akiből (of what; of which; of whom) · eo pri kiu (of what; of which; of whom) · nb hvorav (of what; of which; of whom) · es donde (of what; of which; of whom) · fr dont (of what; of which; of whom) · la unde (of what; of which; of whom) · bg от каквото (of what; of which; of whom) · hu amiből (of what; of which; of whom) · hu amelyről (of what; of which; of whom) · cmn 甚么的 (of what; of which; of whom) · hu akiről (of what; of which; of whom) · hu amelyből (of what; of which; of whom) · da hvoraf (of what; of which; of whom) · sv varav (of what; of which; of whom) · pt donde (of what; of which; of whom) · nl waarvan (of what; of which; of whom) · de wovon (of what; of which; of whom) · fi minkä (of what; of which; of whom) · bg от който (of what; of which; of whom) · hu amiről (of what; of which; of whom)