Whither: meaning, definitions and examples

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whither

 

[ หˆwษชรฐ.ษ™r ]

Adverb
Context #1 | Adverb

direction, destination

Whither is an archaic term used to indicate a direction or destination, often translated to mean 'to where.' While it has largely fallen out of common usage, it appears in poetic and literary contexts to emphasize a sense of journey or inquiry. The word prompts the listener or reader to consider the destination or outcome of a situation.

Synonyms

to where, where

Examples of usage

  • Whither shall we go from here?
  • She asked whither his thoughts wandered.
  • The explorers set forth, unsure of whither they would end up.

Translations

Translations of the word "whither" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น para onde

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค•เคนเคพเค

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช wohin

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ kemana

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะบัƒะดะธ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ dokฤ…d

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใฉใ“ใธ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท oรน

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ adรณnde

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท nereye

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์–ด๋””๋กœ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุฅู„ู‰ ุฃูŠู†

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ kam

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ kam

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅพ€ๅ“ช้‡Œ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ kam

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ hvert

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ า›ะฐะนะดะฐ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒกแƒแƒ“

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ haraya

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ a dรณnde

Etymology

The word 'whither' originates from Old English *hwider*, which meant 'to what place.' It is a combination of the wh- element for inquiry (related to the pronoun 'who' and adverb 'how') and the directional sense which is present in words indicating movement. The usage of 'whither' peaked during the Middle Ages, particularly in literary and religious texts, yet it has increasingly become rare in contemporary English. Over time, 'whither' was primarily used in rhetorical and poetic contexts to add a formal tone or to invoke a sense of nostalgia. Despite its decline in everyday language, 'whither' is still encountered in classical literature and works of notable authors, conveying depth and a timeless quality to the discourse.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #11,603, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.