whither
WITH-er
/ˈwɪðər/
To what place or state.
Specifically implies movement toward a destination.
The story behind the word. From the Proto-Indo-European interrogative base *kwo-. It follows the same pattern as 'here/hither' and 'there/thither'.
Word relationships
- where: 'Where' is static or directional; 'whither' is always directional (to where).
- hither: 'Hither' means 'to here'; 'whither' means 'to where'.
Commonly confused with
- wither: 'Wither' means to shrivel; 'whither' means 'to what place'.
Collocations
- whither goest thou
- whither away
Example sentences
- "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?" A question about destiny.
Memory hook
Whither = Where-to. Whither = Where are you going?
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'wither' (to dry up and die).
Fun facts
- The opposite of 'whither' is 'thither' (to that place).
- The word 'whither' is often used in political journalism to ask about the future of a movement (e.g., 'Whither the Liberal Party?').
Explore more words
destination, head for, wither, voyage, questioning, bewildered
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