whither
Whither (adv) means to what place; where (used to ask about direction or destination). Example: “Whither shall we go from here?”
How to use whither
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old-fashioned or literary way of asking "to where?" or "what will become of?"
Archaic and literary today — mostly seen in headlines like "Whither the middle class?" rather than in ordinary conversation.
Word forms
whithered past tense, whithers plural, whithers plural, whithers singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ shall we go from here?
Etymology
From Old English hwider, an old question-word meaning "to what place" — a relative of who and where that has mostly fallen out of everyday speech.
Rhymes for whither
See all rhymes for whither →Frequently asked questions
What does “whither” mean?
The word “whither” means to what place; where (used to ask about direction or destination). In plain terms, an old-fashioned or literary way of asking "to where?" or "what will become of?".
How do you pronounce “whither”?
“Whither” is pronounced WIH-thuh (/ˈwɪðəː/ in IPA).
How do you use “whither” in a sentence?
Here is “whither” used in a sentence: “Whither shall we go from here?”
What part of speech is “whither”?
“Whither” is an adverb.
Where does the word “whither” come from?
The word “whither” comes from Old English. From Old English hwider, an old question-word meaning "to what place" — a relative of who and where that has mostly fallen out of everyday speech.
How many meanings does “whither” have?
“Whither” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to what place; where (used to ask about direction or destination).