perforce
UK[pəˈfɔːs]US[pərˈfɔːrs]
adv
because it is necessary or cannot be avoided
Morpheme Breakdown
per
force
per
through, by, by means of
force
strength, power, compulsion
Etymology
the word "perforce" entered english in the 14th century from the anglo-norman phrase par force, meaning "by force, of necessity." this phrase itself derives from latin per fortiam, where per means "through, by" and fortis means "strong." the original sense was literal, denoting an action accomplished through physical power or compulsion. over time, the meaning generalized and softened into the modern adverbial sense of "by necessity" or "unavoidably," shifting from external coercion to logical or circumstantial inevitability.
Analysis
Structure: per + force
per (from latin, meaning "through, by, by means of"); force (from old french force, meaning "strength, power, compulsion")
Examples
the evidence was, perforce, excluded from the trial.
we must perforce accept the committee's final decision.
the road was closed, so we perforce took a long detour.