how come

Meaning

Why; why is it; for what reason or purpose; due to what cause?

Synonyms

why

for what reason

what for

why is that

how

why so

how is that possible

what’s wrong

for what purpose

Translations

pourquoi

warum

comment se fait-il que

comment il se fait

comment se fait-ce que

come mai

waarom

hoe komt het dat

como

porque

por quê

cómo es que

wie kommt es dass

Pronounced as (IPA)

/haʊ kʌm/

Etymology

Cognate with Western Frisian: hoe kom

Cognate with Dutch: hoe komt het

Cognate with Afrikaans: hoekom

In summary

Earliest use in its modern form can also be found in The Trial of Titus Oates, referring to a trial that took place in 1685:
:*
1730, F. Hargrave, A Complete Collection of State-Trials and Proceedings for High-Treason, and Other Crimes and Misdemeanours; from the Reign of King Richard II. to the End of the Reign of King George I, volume 4:
Mrs. A. Ireland It was on Saturday Morning, as I remember, the 3rd of August, the Saturday after St. Ignatius's Day.
L. C. J. How come you remember so particularly, that it was then?
In this text, it also co-occurs with forms such as "How come she to lie there?" and "How come you to remember those Days of the Month?".
Compare West Frisian hoe kom (“how come”), Dutch hoe komt het (“how comes it; why”), Afrikaans hoekom (“how come; why”).
According to Partridge's slang dictionary: US English, 1848, probably from older forms such as "How comes it that... ?" or "How does it come that... ?" and "How did it come to be like this?"