hitherto

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   Until now; up to this point in time.

   The discovery revealed facts that had hitherto been unknown.

The adverb is derived from Middle English hiderto (“to the present time, until now; up to this point”), from hider (“in this direction, to or toward this place; up to the present time, until now”) (from Old English hider (“to here, hither”)) + to (“in the direction of, toward; etc.”). By surface analysis, hither + to. The adjective is derived from the adverb.

Topics