wherein

English

Etymology

From Middle English wherin; equivalent to where- +‎ in.

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: (h)wârinʹ IPA^(key): /(h)wɛɹˈɪn/
• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: wârinʹ IPA^(key): /wɛəɹˈɪn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪn

Adverb

wherein (not comparable)

1. How, or in what way.
   • 1901, Bible (American Standard Version), 1 Kings 18:9

     Wherein have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

See also

• Category:English pronominal adverbs

Conjunction

wherein

1. Where, or in which location.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Numbers 35:34:

     Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel.

   • 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:

     As she went through the woods where the primroses and the whitethorn were blossoming, the place seemed as the land of Elim, wherein there were twelve wells and threescore and ten palm trees.

2. During which.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ecclesiastes 8:9–There is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.:

3. How, or in what way.
   • 2011, Bible (English Standard Version), 1 Samuel 8:9

     In order to show them wherein they were wrong, Samuel was instructed to bear witness against them […]

See also

Here-, there-, and where- words

• (about): hereabout, thereabout, whereabout
• (abouts): hereabouts, thereabouts, whereabouts
• (after): hereafter, thereafter, whereafter
• (again): thereagain
• (against): hereagainst, thereagainst, whereagainst
• (among): hereamong, thereamong, whereamong
• (amongst): thereamongst, whereamongst
• (around): therearound, wherearound
• (as): thereas, whereas
• (at): hereat, thereat, whereat
• (before): herebefore, therebefore
• (beside): therebeside
• (between): therebetween, wherebetween
• (by): hereby, thereby, whereby
• (for): herefor, therefor, wherefor
• (fore): herefore, therefore, wherefore
• (from): herefrom, therefrom, wherefrom
• (hence): herehence, therehence
• (in): herein, therein, wherein
• (in after): hereinafter, thereinafter, whereinafter
• (in before): hereinbefore, thereinbefore, whereinbefore
• (into): hereinto, thereinto, whereinto
• (of): hereof, thereof, whereof
• (on): hereon, thereon, whereon
• (out): hereout, thereout, whereout
• (to): hereto, thereto, whereto
• (tofore): heretofore, theretofore, wheretofore
• (under): hereunder, thereunder, whereunder
• (unto): hereunto, thereunto, whereunto
• (upon): hereupon, thereupon, whereupon
• (with): herewith, therewith, wherewith
• (withal): herewithal, therewithal, wherewithal