/hwair az", wair-/ , conj., n., pl. whereases .
conj.
1. while on the contrary: One arrived promptly, whereas the others hung back.
2. it being the case that, or considering that (used esp. in formal preambles).
n.
3. a qualifying or introductory statement, esp. one having "whereas" as the first word: to read the whereases in the will.
[ 1300-50; ME wheras; see WHERE, AS 1 ]