hither

1 of 2

adverb

hith·​er ˈhi-t͟hər How to pronounce hither (audio)
: to this place

hither

2 of 2

adjective

: being on the near or adjacent side

Examples of hither in a Sentence

Adjective we began to explore the hither bank while our companions crossed the creek to explore the yonder bank
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
The broad shoulders and the leopard print, the purring come hither and paralysing bite that follows. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 24 Jan. 2024 Her face fixed in a dissociative come hither, here is someone who has spent the past 12 months connecting her 398 million followers to fashion’s uppermost echelons. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2023 But perhaps this is what power dressing looks like in 2023: both the purring come hither and the fang-toothed bite. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2023 For the most part, the journalists who have shared these excerpts hither and yon have endorsed Boehner’s revised self-portrait as a beleaguered hero to stately norms. Natalie Shure, The New Republic, 12 Apr. 2021 Conjunctivitis is spread through particularly artful and gross means - the contamination of objects with eye gunk, smeared inadvertently hither and thither as a person wrestles with the itchy, gritty misery that defines what is commonly known as pinkeye. Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 28 July 2013 When approaching the speaker, the interface gently lights up using light-trough aluminum technology and positively invites the user to come hither and interact with it. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2022 That enormous increase of money beginning to flow hither and yon, once started, will be unstoppable without drastic actions being taken. John S. Tobey, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2021 But as director Christopher Ashley sends the columns gliding hither and thither to create various interiors and exteriors, the structures often … wobble. Helen Shaw, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2021
Adjective
There is an effervescence to the room — playful neon signage, come-hither shelves of natural wines, brightly hued tableware — that spills out to the streetside patio dining area. New York Times, 19 Sep. 2022 Wearing a bold floral print dress, Clarkson flawlessly captured the track’s come hither arrangement and Morris’ ready-for-amour vibe. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 21 June 2022 The iteration Bradshaw wore to the date was designed by Karan, but in the photoshoot scene—according to Haroutounian and Jimenez—Bradshaw is wearing Jimenez’s dress with a laptop propped on her lap, staring at the camera with those come-hither eyes. Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2021 Same with Sitake, a man seemingly mystified, searching high and low, wide and far, hither and thither, hunting, scratching, grasping for the right conclusion. Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Aug. 2021 And she was captured adoringly by Cecil Beaton’s camera in come-hither beauty. Callahan Tormey, Town & Country, 28 Nov. 2020 In his motions, Henry contends that Eckhart pursued him by sending him come-hither text messages. Maria Puente, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2020 And the effect works to signal danger warnings to would-be predators and come-hither messages to potential mates. Courtney Sexton, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 July 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hither.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English hider, hither, from Old English hider; akin to Goth hidre hither, Latin citra on this side — more at he

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hither was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near hither

Cite this Entry

“Hither.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hither. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hither

1 of 2 adverb
hith·​er ˈhit͟h-ər How to pronounce hither (audio)
: to this place
come hither

hither

2 of 2 adjective
: near entry 3 sense 3, nearer
the hither side of the hill

More from Merriam-Webster on hither

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