Whence (?), adv. [OE. whennes, whens (with adverbial s, properly a genitive ending; — see -wards), also whenne, whanene, AS. hwanan, hwanon, hwonan, hwanone; akin to D. when. See When, and cf. Hence, Thence.]
1. From what place; hence, from what or which source, origin, antecedent, premise, or the like; how; — used interrogatively.
Whence hath this man this wisdom? Matt. xiii. 54.
Whence and what art thou? Milton.
2. From what or which place, source, material, cause, etc.; the place, source, etc., from which; — used relatively.
Grateful to acknowledge whence his good
Descends. Milton.
☞ All the words of this class, whence, where, whither, whereabouts, etc., are occasionally used as pronouns by a harsh construction.
O, how unlike the place from whence they fell? Milton.
☞ From whence, though a pleonasm, is fully authorized by the use of good writers.
From whence come wars and fightings among you? James iv. 1.
Of whence, also a pleonasm, has become obsolete.