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perhaps (adv.)

"possibly," late 15c., perhappes, with adverbial genitive, from earlier perhap (mid-14c.), from per, par "by, through" (see per) + plural of hap "chance" (see happen), on model of peradventure, perchance, etc. which now have been superseded by this word. Perhappons "possibly, by chance" is recorded from late 15c.

also from late 15c.
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Trends of perhaps

updated on March 31, 2020

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