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thereby

Etymology and origin of the English word thereby

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
c. 897
From
Old English þǣrbī via Middle English

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ðɛəˈbaɪ/ (UK); /ðɛɹˈbaɪ/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English therbi, inherited from Old English þǣrbī (“thus, by means of that”),[2][3] from there and by,[2][4] with similar formations in Old Frisian therbi, German dabei and Dutch daarbij.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

By that; by means of, or because of, that: about 897.[5]

Semantic evolution

Near that place, adjacent, is from about 1220, now archaic.[5][6] Besides, in addition to that, is from the 14th century,[5] and about that number, nearly so, from about 1425.[5] The SOED notes that it was originally written as two words.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 897 – by that means.[5]
  • c. 1220 – near that place.[5]
  • c. 1425 – approximately.[5]

Modern meaning

Adverb

  1. By that means; because of that; as a result.
  2. (archaic) Near that place; thereabouts.

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Thereby.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/thereby. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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