perhaps

A2 Topic:Describing People

Also spelled per’aps

US /pɚˈhæps/ UK /pəˈhæps/ See IPA manual

Freq #575

Meanings

1

adv
Used to say that something is possible but not certain; maybe.

Perhaps John will come over for dinner tonight.
2

adv
Used to make a suggestion or request sound more polite.

Perhaps you could help me carry these bags?

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · used to say that something... possibly maybe

More bechancebelikemayhapmayhapsperadventure perchance

Word family

Forms p’r’aps

Derived forms perhappenstanceperhapsy

Related forms perhapser

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).

perhappes Middle English parchaunce Middle English

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# perhaps

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** /pɚˈhæps/
**IPA (UK):** /pəˈhæps/
**Frequency rank:** 575

## Meanings
1. Used to say that something is possible but not certain; maybe.
2. Used to make a suggestion or request sound more polite.

## Examples
- Perhaps John will come over for dinner tonight.
- Perhaps you could help me carry these bags?

## Synonyms
- bechance
- belike
- maybe
- mayhap
- mayhaps
- peradventure
- perchance

## Derived Forms
- perhappenstance
- perhapsy

## Related Forms
- perhapser

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: perhappes
- Root: parchaunce

## 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).

## AI Etymology
Perhaps comes 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). The historical chain includes perhappes (Middle English), parchaunce (Middle English). In present-day English it covers used to say that something is possible but not certain; maybe and used to make a suggestion or request sound more polite. The wider family includes derived forms such as perhappenstance, perhapsy and related forms such as perhapser.

## Topics
- Describing People

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perhaps

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