hitherto
Americanadverb
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up to this time; until now.
a fact hitherto unknown.
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to here.
adverb
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until this time
hitherto, there have been no problems
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archaic to this place or point
adjective
Etymology
Origin of hitherto
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English hiderto; see hither, to
Explanation
Use the adverb hitherto when you're describing a state or circumstance that existed up until now. If you find a hitherto undiscovered hidden tunnel in your cellar, you're the first to discover it. When some particular situation has existed so far, up until the moment that you're speaking of, you can use the word hitherto to talk about it. You could say that you're taking a hot air balloon ride that you were hitherto too scared to contemplate, or that a very shy girl in your philosophy class who was hitherto totally silent finally spoke up today and asked a very intelligent question.
Vocabulary lists containing hitherto
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
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Sapiens
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Tolkien Reading Day, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To their initial astonishment, they have attracted a far wider viewership spanning all ages, even followers who hitherto had only scant interest in ballet.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
During one episode, hitherto faithful Northern Irishman Matt was given the chance to speak to traitors Stephen and Rachel, who were hidden in a confession booth.
From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026
A poorly cleared corner followed by an unfortunate deflection proved fatal to the hitherto impenetrable Parisian defence.
From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026
The commodity boom, especially pronounced in gold and other metals, is generating some remarkable statistics and dramatically revising some hitherto well-established ratios.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 7, 2026
Some brows creased as rational minds grappled with this proof of the impossible—or at least the hitherto inconceivable.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
