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Definition of heretofore

heretofore

/ˌhɪr.tuːˈfɔːr/
here · to · fore
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heretofore Lexical Profile

heretofore Game Scores & Validity

• adverb

1

Before now; up to the present time or a specified past time.

Example

"The expedition uncovered several deep-sea species that had been heretofore unknown to marine biologists."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for heretofore
Antonyms
View all antonyms for heretofore

Word Nuance & Usage

"Heretofore" is primarily restricted to formal, legal, or academic registers; in everyday speech or writing, "previously" or "until now" is strongly preferred.

• Rhymes for heretofore

• Nearby Words

heresy
heretic
heretical
heretofore
hereunto
herewith
heritable

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in Middle English as a compound of the adverbs and prepositions "here," "to," and "fore" (meaning "before"), literally translating to "before this point in time."

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Heretofore. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/heretofore
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