The spelling of the surname "McWhorter" can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The first syllable, "Mc", is a common prefix in Scottish and Irish surnames, signifying "son of". The second syllable, "Whor", represents the pronunciation of the word "whore" without the final "e". The third syllable, "ter", is pronounced like the word "turd" without the initial "d". Together, the IPA transcription of "McWhorter" is /məkˈhwɔr.tər/, with the stress on the second syllable.
The word "McWhorter" is a surname of Scottish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Mac Cuarta" or "Mac Cuairtair", meaning "son of Cuartar" or "son of the wanderer". In Gaelic, "Mac" means son of, and "cuarta" or "cuairtair" refers to someone who travels or wanders. Over time, "Mac Cuarta" anglicized to "McWhorter" and became a surname.