/ bɪˈkɒz; -ˈkəz; NAmE -ˈkɔːz; -ˈkʌz/ conjunction
for the reason that :
I did it because he told me to.
Just because I don't complain, people think I'm satisfied.
► because of preposition :
They are here because of us.
He walked slowly because of his bad leg.
Because of his wife('s) being there, I said nothing about it.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from the phrase by cause , influenced by Old French par cause de by reason of.