heretofore
UK[ˌhɪətuːˈfɔː(r)]US[ˌhɪrtuˈfɔːr]
adv
until this time; before now
Morpheme Breakdown
here
to
fore
here
to
fore
before (in time or place)
Etymology
the word 'heretofore' is a compound adverb formed entirely from native old english elements, combining 'here', 'to', and 'fore'. its construction follows a logical spatial-temporal metaphor, literally meaning 'to this before' or 'before this point/place'. this literal sense evolved into the modern abstract meaning of 'up until this time' or 'previously', where 'here' refers to the present moment as a conceptual location. it represents a classic example of how english can create formal, often legal or literary, vocabulary by fusing simple, ancient directional and temporal words into a single adverbial unit.
Analysis
Structure: here + to + fore
- here (old english): from old english 'hēr', meaning 'in this place'.
- to (old english): from old english 'tō', a preposition meaning 'in the direction of, for the purpose of'.
- fore (old english): from old english 'fore', an adverb or preposition meaning 'before (in time or place)'.
Examples
the court found that the evidence, heretofore deemed inadmissible, was now crucial to the case.
the technology, heretofore available only in research labs, is now being commercialized.
he outlined the company's performance, comparing current results with those heretofore.