# hence

> English word · Adverb · IPA /ˈhɛns/ · frequency rank #3,759

## Definitions
1. From here, from this place, away.
2. From the living or from this world.
3. In the future from now.
4. As a result; therefore, for this reason.

## Etymology
A later Middle English spelling, retaining the voiceless -s, of hennes (henne + adverbial genitive ending -s), from Old English heonan (“away", "hence”), from a Proto-West Germanic *hin-, from Proto-Germanic *hiz, and Proto-Germanic *-anē.
Cognate with Old Saxon hinan, Old High German hinnan (German hinnen), Dutch heen, Swedish hän. Related to Old English her (“here”).

## Easily confused with
- **here** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hence-vs-here)
- **hone** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hence-vs-hone)
- **henry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hence-vs-henry)
- **hinge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hence-vs-hinge)
- **hunch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hence-vs-hunch)
- **Hesse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hence-vs-hesse)
- **henna** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hence-vs-henna)
- **Henny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hence-vs-henny)
- **henley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hence-vs-henley)
- **hen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hen-vs-hence)
- **hee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hee-vs-hence)
- **heck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/heck-vs-hence)
- **hehe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hehe-vs-hence)
- **hedge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hedge-vs-hence)
- **heave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/heave-vs-hence)
- **Heine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/heine-vs-hence)
- **Henan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/henan-vs-hence)

## Common misspellings (8)
`ehnce`, `hance`, `hecne`, `hencce`, `henec`, `hennce`, `hhence`, `hnece`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/hence