perhapsyoudaoicibaDictYouDict[perhaps 词源字典]
perhaps: [16] The phrase by hap or by haps ‘by chance’ originated in the 14th century (hap ‘chance’, a borrowing from Old Norse, now survives in the derived happen). In the 16th century it was transformed into perhaps on the model of perchance [14] and the now obsolete percase [14], both borrowings from Anglo- Norman containing per ‘by’.
=> happen, happy[perhaps etymology, perhaps origin, 英语词源]
perhaps (adv.)youdaoicibaDictYouDict
1520s, formed from Middle English per, par "by, through" (see per-) + plural of hap "chance" (see happen), on model of peradventure, perchance, etc. which now have been superseded by this word. Perhappons "possibly, by chance" is recorded from late 15c.