heretofore

Up to this

Heretofore means until now or before this time.

The word is formal and somewhat old-fashioned, appearing mostly in legal documents and formal writing: The company had heretofore been profitable.

It emphasizes that something was true in the past but may no longer be: heretofore unknown species, heretofore unquestioned assumptions.

temporal

previously

Before the present moment

priorExisting before another
precedingComing before in order
antecedentSomething that precedes

earlier · formerly · beforehand · preexisting · pre-existing · past · historical · anterior · precedent · already

formal

foregoing

Previously mentioned or stated

aforesaidPreviously stated herein
herewithAccompanying this document
thereinIn that place

thereupon · hereunto · whereby · wherein · erstwhile · thenceforth · inasmuch · notwithstanding · forthwith

legal

precedent

Prior authoritative example

statuteEnacted written rule
jurisprudencePhilosophy governing legal systems
contractualRelating to formal agreements

provision · clause · stipulation · codified · statutory · litigation · adjudication · binding · enacted · regulatory

Categories

old-fashioned wordsforsooth, hark, betwixt, hither, prithee
Archaismsthee, thou, thy, thine, ye
legalesehereby, herein, hereof, hereto, hereunder
archaic adverbsanon, betimes, ere, erstwhile, forsooth
archaic Englishthou, thee, thy, thine, ye
archaic wordsthee, thou, thy, thine, tis

Opposites

temporal direction

heretoforehenceforth

From this time onward

hereafter · henceforward · thenceforth · thereafter · from now on

Family

here, before, there, hereafter, thereafter, hitherto, hereabouts, henceforth, aforementioned

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G