What does thence mean?
Thence is a formal or archaic English adverb meaning 'from there' or, more generally, 'from that point.' It can refer to movement away from a previously mentioned place, as in a sentence describing a route that leads 'thence to the coast.' It may also begin from a point in time, meaning 'from then onward,' or indicate a source or consequence, meaning 'from there' in the logical sense or even 'therefore.' The phrase 'and thence' is especially characteristic of literary prose, where it links a destination or outcome to what came before. Thence has a distinctly formal sound and is much less common in ordinary speech than words such as 'there,' 'then,' or 'afterward.' Its interest lies partly in its history: it passed into English through Old French from Latin deinde, 'from there' or 'then.' The word survives as a useful example of how a simple Latin place expression became embedded in formal English style.
adverbFrom there; from that place, time, source, or point. In formal or archaic use, it can also mean 'from that point onward' or 'therefore.'
- From that place or away from a previously mentioned location.
- From that time onward.
- From that source, circumstance, or logical consequence.
"The path led through the forest and thence down to the lakeshore."
"The road descends through the pine woods, and thence to the lakeshore."
"The manuscript was copied in Bologna and thence circulated across Europe."
Thence comes from Latin deinde, literally 'from there'—a compact fossil of the way English borrowed a direction from French.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does thence come from?
The word entered Middle English in the late fourteenth century from Old French thence. Old French had borrowed it from Latin deinde, formed from de- ('from') and inde ('there'), with Latin inde belonging to the same demonstrative family reflected in related place expressions such as hence and thither. English thence developed place, temporal, and consequential uses while retaining the elevated register associated with its Latin and French ancestry.
Related word forms
How thence is actually used
Chiefly literary, formal, or archaic, and uncommon in everyday contemporary English. Its place sense can imply movement onward from a location, while its time sense marks a starting point. In causal contexts it may sound especially old-fashioned.
Easily confused with thence
Thence means 'from there' or 'from that point,' whereas thither means 'to there' or 'to that place.'