Thence
/ðɛns/noun
From that place, time, or source.
Did you know?Thence is a fossilized adverb built from an old demonstrative root meaning “that,” which is why it still feels like a linguistic doorway between places and moments.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*to-
“Demonstrative base meaning “that””
Old English
OE
þænan / þanon
“From there; thence”
Middle English
ME
thennes / thens
“From that place; from there”
14th Century
English
thence
“From that place, time, or source”
Modern English
English
thence
“From there; from that point onward”