Word
thence
US/ˈðɛns/
UK/ðˈɛns/
Adverb of place
Definition
adv. from that place or from that time. It is a very formal word used to show where someone went next or what happened after a specific event.
adv. from that place or source; following from that fact or time. Used in formal or literary contexts to indicate a point of origin or a logical consequence.
Examples
“We went to Paris and thence to Rome.”
“The hikers reached the summit by noon and thence descended into the valley before nightfall.”
“The river flows into the Great Lake and thence to the sea, carrying with it the sediment of three different mountain ranges.”
Examples
simple
“We went to Paris and thence to Rome.”
contextual
“The hikers reached the summit by noon and thence descended into the valley before nightfall.”
complex
“The river flows into the Great Lake and thence to the sea, carrying with it the sediment of three different mountain ranges.”
Usage
Typically used in formal writing to avoid repeating 'from there'; it can also indicate a logical progression in an argument.
Real-World Examples
“The cable that connects Tongatapu to Fiji and thence to the world is 515 miles long and forms part of a cable network called Southern Cross.” “Thence he moves into the early history of automation, and startling tales about ambitious early attempts to create robots that might be useful in combat.” Etymology
From Middle English þennes, from þenne + -es (“adverbial ending”), the former from þanan, þanona, from Proto-West Germanic *þananā. Cognate with Westphalian Low German diëne.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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