Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “whereabouts” come from?

Whereabouts derives from Middle English wheraboutes, a compound of where and aboutes meaning "near or around which place."

whereabouts (English): In, at or near what location; Location; where...

Definitions

  1. In, at or near what location; Location; where...

Ancestry of “whereabouts”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwheraboutes—
Every word from Middle English wheraboutes →