hither
hither Lexical Profile
hither Game Scores & Validity
• adverb
To or toward this place; here.
"During the storm, leaves and twigs were blown hither and thither across the courtyard."
• adjective
Situated on this side; nearer to the speaker or observer.
"The travelers set up camp on the hither bank of the river before attempting the crossing at dawn."
Word Nuance & Usage
In historical and literary usage, "hither" indicates motion toward this place ("to here"), contrasting with "here" (at this place), "hence" (from this place), and "thither" (to that place). In contemporary English, it is largely restricted to the fixed expression "hither and thither" or "hither and yon."
• Rhymes for hither
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English hider ('to this place'), formed from the demonstrative stem hi- (related to 'he' and 'here') and a directional suffix of Proto-Germanic origin.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.