whereof

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

• (General American) IPA^(key): /(h)wɛɹˈʌv/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /wɛəɹˈɒv/

• Audio (Berkshire, UK)

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• Rhymes: -ɒv, -ʌv

whereof

1. (formal) Of what.
2. (formal) Of which.
   • 1885–1888, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Night 558”, in A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], volume (please specify the volume), Shammar edition, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC:

     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, […]

3. (formal) Of whom.
   • 1885–1888, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Night 547”, in Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], volume (please specify the volume), Shammar edition, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC:

     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."

4. (archaic) With or by which.

• whence

whereof (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Of what.
   • 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]:

     In 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 stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born,
     I am to learn;
     And such a wantwit sadness makes of me,
     That I have much ado to know myself.

   • 1922, Ludwig Wittgenstein, trans. C. K. Ogden, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, proposition 7:

     Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.

2. (archaic) Of which.

• know whereof one speaks

• John A. Simpson and Edmund S. C. Weiner, editors (1989), “whereof”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, →ISBN.

• forehew