hitherto
Americanadverb
-
up to this time; until now.
a fact hitherto unknown.
-
to here.
adverb
-
until this time
hitherto, there have been no problems
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Sapiens
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Tolkien Reading Day, List 2
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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
Its arrival also marks the resurrection of Criterion’s invaluable Eclipse line, a no-frills, hitherto exclusively DVD series that bundled often-obscure titles, usually grouped by director.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025
Whatsoever, it was like entering a scene which, because of some devious circumstance, I had hitherto watched only from a distance.
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
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.
