hitherto

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈhɪðəɹˌtu/ UK /ˌhɪðəˈtuː/ See IPA manual

Freq #35694

Meanings

1

adv
Until now; up to this point in time.

The discovery revealed facts that had hitherto been unknown.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · until now; up to this point... heretoforeso farup to now

More erenowherebeforeheretoheretoforetimehereuntohereuntoforehithertoforeyet

Opposites

henceforth still

Word family

Related forms henceafterhenceforth henceforward henceforwardshencefromhereabout hereaboutshereabovehereafterhereaftershereagainsthereamong

Etymology

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.

hiderto Middle English hider Old English

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Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# hitherto

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** /ˈhɪðəɹˌtu/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌhɪðəˈtuː/
**Frequency rank:** 35694

## Meanings
1. Until now; up to this point in time.

## Examples
- The discovery revealed facts that had hitherto been unknown.

## Synonyms
- erenow
- herebefore
- hereto
- heretofore
- heretoforetime
- hereunto
- hereuntofore
- hithertofore
- yet

## Antonyms
- henceforth
- still

## Related Forms
- henceafter
- henceforth
- henceforward
- henceforwards
- hencefrom
- hereabout
- hereabouts
- hereabove
- hereafter
- hereafters
- hereagainst
- hereamong

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: hiderto
- Root: hider

## Etymology
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.

## AI Etymology
Hitherto: 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. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include hiderto (Middle English) and hider (Old English). Current senses include until now; up to this point in time. The wider family includes related words such as henceafter, henceforth, henceforward, and henceforwards.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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