Standard Lemma guide

perchance

adv · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˌpɜːˈtʃɑːns/
  • UK: /pəˈtʃɑːns/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˌpɜɹˈtʃæns/
  • US: /pəɹˈtʃæns/
  • US: [ˌpɝˈt͡ʃhɛə̯ns]
  • US: [pɚˈt͡ʃhɛə̯ns]
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɑːns
  • rhymes with -æns
  • CMU ARPABET: P ER0 CH AE1 N S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

Perhaps.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, humorous, not-comparable

Examples

  • You wouldn't, perchance, have a bottle opener on you, would you?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: perhaps, maybe, peradventure, mayhap, possibly, by chance, by any chance

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

by chance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • perhaps she will call tomorrow
  • we may possibly run into them at the concert
  • it may peradventure be thought that there never was such a time

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: possibly, perhaps, maybe, mayhap, peradventure

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

through chance,

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • To sleep, perchance to dream..

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: by chance

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English parchaunce, from Old French par cheance (“by chance”).

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: случайно (slučajno) — perhaps, by chance
  • Bulgarian: може би (može bi) — perhaps, by chance
  • Dutch: mogelijkerwijs — perhaps, by chance
  • Marathi: यदाकदाचित (yadākdācit) — perhaps, by chance
  • Plautdietsch: veleicht — perhaps, by chance
  • Polish: być może — perhaps, by chance
  • Polish: przypadkiem — perhaps, by chance
  • Portuguese: porventura — perhaps, by chance
  • Spanish: por ventura — perhaps, by chance
Real reading context

perchance in complete knowledge articles

Théâtre Illuminata Literature & books · Developing · 3 uses