Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
perchance [per-chans, -chahns] ExamplesWord Origin See more synonyms for perchance on Thesaurus.com adverb
- Literary. perhaps; maybe; possibly.
- Archaic. by chance.
Origin of perchance 1300–50; Middle English, variant of par chance by chance Anglo-French. See per, chance Related Words for perchance mayhap, perhaps, conceivable, credible, feasible, obtainable, conceivably, imaginably Examples from the Web for perchance Historical Examples of perchance
Here, perchance, may be found a clue in symbol to the family strife.
Harry Leon Wilson
“It would, perchance, be best that the novices be not admitted,” suggested the master.
Arthur Conan Doyle
It would be well, perchance, that you should give him greeting from me.
Arthur Conan Doyle
Bewitched, perchance, by that bad woman, which is no excuse for him.
H. Rider Haggard
If perchance he were to meet the girl again as she was leaving Number 9,—what then?
Louis Joseph Vance
British Dictionary definitions for perchance perchance adverb archaic, or poetic
- perhaps; possibly
- by chance; accidentally
Word Origin for perchance C14: from Anglo-French par chance; see per, chance Word Origin and History for perchance adv.
mid-14c., parchaunce, from Old French par cheance, literally “by chance.” With Latin per substituted c.1400 for French cognate par.