Herebefore

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. At a time previously mentioned or referred to in discussion
2. In prior instances or earlier contexts as indicated before
3. At a point in the past that has already been referenced in the conversation

Etymology: "Herebefore" is a compound of "here" and "before," both of which are very old English words. "Here" comes from Old English "hēr," meaning "in this place," and "before" comes from Old English "beforan," built from "be-" and "foran," meaning "in front." The pairing is a reasonable English construction, but it is an uncommon one, and it is generally considered archaic or legal in tone. Dictionaries record the word in use from the 15th century onward, in writings that often belonged to legal and formal documents, where the phrase "here" and "before" served to point back to earlier parts of the same text. The compound follows the pattern of similar formations such as "herein," "hereafter," and "hereto," which all treat "here" as a reference to the current document or discussion.