Therefore

How to spell therefore

9 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce therefore

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does therefore mean?

1. adverbFor that reason; as a logical consequence of what has just been stated.

Therefore in a sentence

• The invoice was never received; therefore payment was delayed.

• The figures did not balance and were therefore checked again.

Where does therefore come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

Therefore is a native English compound, built from the Old English roots that gave us 'there' and 'fore', the latter meaning 'before' or 'in front of'. In Middle English the two pieces fused into a single adverb meaning literally 'for that' or 'for that reason', which is exactly the logical sense it still carries today. It belongs to a small family of old 'there-' compounds such as therein, thereby, thereof, and thereupon, where 'there' stands in for 'that thing' just mentioned. The trickiest spelling point is the ending: it is 'fore', the same word as 'before', so it keeps the silent final e, unlike the unrelated 'for'. Keeping that 'before' connection in mind is the surest way to avoid writing it as 'therefor' or 'therfore'.

How the word is built

• there (in that place/respect)
• fore (before, from Old English fore: in front of)