perhaps
UK /pəˈhæps/ · US /pɚˈhæps/ adverb, noun
Forms perhapses perhap
- adverb Possibly. “Perhaps John will come over for dinner.”
- adverb (dated) By chance.
- noun An uncertainty.
Synonyms
bechance belike maybe mayhap mayhaps peradventure perchance possibly
Etymology
From Middle English perhappes, perhappous, variant of earlier perhap (“perhaps, possibly”), equivalent to per- + hap (“chance, coincidence”) + -s, on model of Middle English parchaunce (modern perchance).
Webster’s 1913
- adverb By chance; peradventure; perchance; it may be. And pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. Acts viii. 22.
Etymology [Per + hap chance.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “perhaps”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details