therefore
Meaning
for that reason; as a result
Structure
Usage
The weather was terrible; therefore, the outdoor event was canceled.
He did not meet the entry requirements and was therefore ineligible for the course.
The evidence was purely circumstantial, and the jury therefore returned a verdict of not guilty.
Etymology
The word 'therefore' is a compound adverb formed from two Old English elements: 'þær' (there) and 'for' (for, because of). In Old English, the phrase 'þær for' was used to mean "for that (reason)," where 'there' functioned as a demonstrative pronoun referring to a previously stated fact or circumstance. Over time, these two words fused into a single lexical unit, grammaticalizing into a conjunctive adverb that signals a logical conclusion. Its literal sense, "for that (thing)," directly evolved into its modern abstract function of introducing a statement that is a consequence or result of what was just mentioned.
Analysis
- there: Old English origin, meaning "in or at that place." - fore: Old English origin, meaning "for, because of, on account of."