per ‧ haps S1 W1 /pəˈhæps, præps $ pər-, præps/ BrE AmE adverb
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Origin: per + haps , plural of hap 'chance' (13-20 centuries) ( ⇨ ↑ happy ) ]
1 . used to say that something may be true, but you are not sure SYN maybe :
Perhaps she’s next door.
Perhaps it will snow tomorrow.
It won’t take so long next time, perhaps.
‘I don’t think you understand.’ ‘Well, perhaps not.’
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In everyday English, people usually use may or might rather than use perhaps it/she/they etc will :
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It might snow tomorrow.
2 . used to give your opinion, when you do not want to be too definite SYN maybe :
This is perhaps her finest novel yet.
The industrial revolution was, perhaps, the most important event in history.
3 . used to say that a number is only a guess SYN maybe :
The room was large, perhaps 20 feet square.
Perhaps 200 people were there.
4 . spoken used to politely ask or suggest something, or say what you are going to do SYN maybe :
I thought perhaps we’d have lunch in the garden.