See also: whereäs

English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From where +‎ as (that); first attested in the meaning of "where" First attested in the 14th century..[1] Compare thereas.

Pronunciation edit

Adverb edit

whereas (not comparable)

  1. (obsolete) Where (that).
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.iii:
      And home she came, whereas her mother blynd / Sate in eternall night []

Derived terms edit

Conjunction edit

whereas

  1. In contrast; whilst on the contrary; although.
    He came first in the race, whereas his brother came last.
  2. (chiefly law) It being the fact that; inasmuch as. (Often used to begin recitals; sometimes emboldened or emphasized as a signifier.)
    • 1778, United States Articles of Confederation:
      And Whereas it hath pleased the Great Governor of the World to incline the hearts of the legislatures we respectively represent in Congress, to approve of, and to authorize us to ratify the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union.

Translations edit

See also edit

Here-, there-, and where- words

Noun edit

whereas (plural whereases)

  1. A clause, as in legal documents, stating whereas.
    • 1883, The Insurance Law Journal, Potter and Company:
      [] the promise is stated after a whereas, though the promise is the very gist of the action, yet, such a count so framed, will be held good on demurrer.
    • 1908, United States Congress, Hearings beginning March 9, 1908 – April 30, 1908:
      It had a page or so of whereases.
    • 1961, Aluminum Workers' International Union, Biennial Convention:
      I feel it is most unfortunate that some of the preambles, prefaces, whereases or whatever you want to call it, are put before motions or before resolutions []
    • 1973, Canadian Fellowship of Catholic Scholars, Proceedings:
      If it is the desire of any Lodge on the floor that the whereases that were listed in their original Resolution be quoted by the Chairman or by the Secretary []

Translations edit

References edit

  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “whereas”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Anagrams edit