Then

Then is a common English word used primarily as an adverb to indicate time or order, and as a subordinating conjunction to express consequence or sequence. It can also function as a modifier in noun phrases such as the then president, where it means “at that time.” For example: First you mix the ingredients, then you bake the cake; If you arrive late, then we will start without you.

Etymology and historical development: Then derives from Old English þanne or þonne, and from Proto-Germanic *þan. It is cognate with German dann (and related forms) meaning “then” or “afterwards.” The modern spelling and widespread use emerged in Middle English and became common in Early Modern English.

Usage and senses: In its temporal sense, then marks the next event in a sequence or a point in time. In its conditional sense, it signals a consequence or result, as in “Do this, then that.” Then also functions as a sentence adverb, as in “Then, there was silence.” Phrases such as then and there or then again illustrate its connective or evaluative roles in discourse.

Grammatical notes: Then is most often an adverb, but it can appear in attributive phrases to indicate time relative to another moment. In formal or mathematical contexts, then is used to express implication or conditional structure, similar to the logical connective “if … then ….” In programming, some languages use then as a keyword to introduce a block of code.

See also: conditional logic, programming constructs with then, timeline.