Meanings
- obsoleteBecause; for the reason that.
But of the day—and of the weeks bygone, and of many other things—this deponent saith nil, whereby and forwhy he is going to bed.
1863 February 22, Edward Lear, Letter from Edward Lear to Fortescue1 more example
Then did he cast to steale her thence away, / And with him beare where none of her might know: / But all in vaine, for-why he found no way / To enter in […]
1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, IV.12Synonyms: as, given that, since
Synonyms & antonyms
conjunctionBecause; for the reason that.
Origin
- Old Englishforhwī
- Middle Englishforwhy
- Englishforwhy
From Middle English forwhy, forwhi, from Old English forhwī, forhwȳ (“why, wherefore”). Equivalent to for + why.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
forwhy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forwhy
“forwhy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forwhy. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “forwhy,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forwhy.
Source: forwhy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.