# therefore
## English
### Etymology

From Middle English therfore, therfor, tharfore, thorfore; synchronically a univerbation of there (pronominal adverb) +‎ for, literally “for that (reason)”. The spelling has been changed due to a reanalysis as there + fore (literally “forward from that; thence”). See also therefor, ultimately the same formation.
Compare Saterland Frisian deerfoar, Dutch daarvoor, German dafür, Danish and Norwegian derfor, Swedish därför.

### Pronunciation

* (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˈðɛə.fɔː/
* (General American) enPR: thârʹfôr, IPA: /ˈðɛɚ.foɹ/
* (obsolete) IPA: /ˈðɜːɹˌfɔːɹ/
* Audio (US):(file)
* Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)fɔː(ɹ)
* Hyphenation: there‧fore

### Adverb

therefore (not comparable)
* (conjunctive) Consequently, by or in consequence of that or this cause; referring to something previously stated.
    Traditional values will always have a place. Therefore, they will never lose relevance.
** 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 14:20:I have married a wife, and therefore I can not come.
** 1637, René Descartes, Discourse on the Method:Je pense, donc je suis (I think, therefore I am)
** 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […] , and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned.
** 2012 March-April, Terrence J. Sejnowski, “Well-connected Brains”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, page 171:Creating a complete map of the human connectome would therefore be a monumental milestone but not the end of the journey to understanding how our brains work.
** 1753, The Spectator, number 642:He blushes; therefore he is innocent.
* (conjunctive, archaic) for that; for it (in reference to a previous statement)
** 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 19:27:Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

#### Synonyms

* (for that purpose): so, thus, to that end, to this end
* (consequently): hence, then, thus, accordingly, as a result, thereby, eo ipso, ∴ (math); See also Thesaurus:therefore

#### Derived terms

* I think therefore I am

#### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

### See also

* (about): hereabout, thereabout, whereabout
* (abouts): hereabouts, thereabouts, whereabouts
* (after): hereafter, thereafter, whereafter
* (again): thereagain
* (against): hereagainst, thereagainst, whereagainst
* (among): hereamong, thereamong, whereamong
* (amongst): thereamongst, whereamongst
* (around): therearound, wherearound
* (as): thereas, whereas
* (at): hereat, thereat, whereat
* (before): herebefore, therebefore
* (beside): therebeside
* (between): therebetween, wherebetween
* (by): hereby, thereby, whereby
* (for): herefor, therefor, wherefor
* (fore): herefore, therefore, wherefore
* (from): herefrom, therefrom, wherefrom
* (hence): herehence, therehence
* (in): herein, therein, wherein
* (in after): hereinafter, thereinafter, whereinafter
* (in before): hereinbefore, thereinbefore, whereinbefore
* (into): hereinto, thereinto, whereinto
* (of): hereof, thereof, whereof
* (on): hereon, thereon, whereon
* (out): hereout, thereout, whereout
* (to): hereto, thereto, whereto
* (tofore): heretofore, theretofore, wheretofore
* (under): hereunder, thereunder, whereunder
* (unto): hereunto, thereunto, whereunto
* (upon): hereupon, thereupon, whereupon
* (with): herewith, therewith, wherewith
* (withal): herewithal, therewithal, wherewithal