here

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English here, earlier her,^[2][3] inherited from Old English hēr (“in this place; at this time; to this place”),^{[4][2][5][6][7]} from Proto-Germanic *hē₂r,^[8] formed from the pronominal stem *hi- (“this”) and an adverbial suffix, the -r of there and where.^[4][9][10] The stem goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ki- (“this”),^[4][9][3] the source also of he and hither.^{[4][10][3][5]} Kroonen reconstructs the North-West Germanic form as *hiar, from *ki-or, with the suffix of *þar (“there”), and compares Lithuanian šis (“this”).^[11] The OED likewise sees an Indo-European particle meaning "this" with an ending of locative meaning, though some details remain uncertain.^[10] Cognates include Old Frisian hīr, Old Saxon hēr, Dutch hier, Old High German hiar, German hier, Old Norse hér, Swedish här and Gothic 𐌷𐌴𐍂 (hēr).^{[10][4][3][11]}

Earliest recorded meaning

In this place, where the speaker is; also at this time and to this place: Old English hēr is recorded about 725, in Beowulf.^[2][4] The OED's first record of the sense "in this place" is in the Lindisfarne Gospels.^[10] Barnhart finds her in 1101 and the spelling here probably about 1200, in the Ormulum.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Most of the adverb's uses were already in Old English: to or towards this place, in this world or life, at this point in speech or a text, in this matter, and as a word that points out something present ("here is…").^[10] It was also already the answer to a call, as in a roll call.^[4][10] Right here, on the spot, is recorded from about 1200, and here and there, in various places, from about 1300.^[4] Used for emphasis after this or these it dates from about 1430,^[10][4] and this here before a noun, now nonstandard, from 1762.^[4][6] Neither here nor there, of no consequence, is from the 1580s, and here's to… as a toast from the 1590s, probably short for here's health to….^[4] The word became a noun, "this place", in the early 16th century in the OED, about 1600 in Etymonline,^[10][4] with here and now, this present life, from 1829.^[4] In 19th-century American English to be here was used of a time that had arrived (1833),^[10] and colloquial give it here, toward the speaker, is recorded from 1836.^[10] In English dialects here was also pronounced yere, in Gloucestershire, and with a y sound in the west and south of England.^[12]

Timeline

• c. 725 – Old English hēr, in this place, in Beowulf.^[2]
• c. 1200 – right here, on the spot.^[4]
• c. 1300 – here and there, in various places.^[4]
• c. 1430 – emphatic after this or these.^[10]
• early 16th century – noun, this place.^[10]
• 1580s – neither here nor there, of no consequence.^[4]
• 1590s – here's to…, as a toast.^[4]
• 1762 – this here before a noun.^[4]
• 1829 – the here and now, this present life.^[4]
• 1836 – give it here, to the speaker.^[10]
• 1886 – here you are, said when handing something over.^[10]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In or at this place: We stopped here for lunch.^[13][6][10]
2. To or toward this place: Bring the lamp over here.^[13][10]
3. At this point in time, in a process, or in a speech or text: Here the lecturer paused.^[6][10]
4. In this matter or respect: Here we disagree.^[13][10]
5. Used to point out or offer something present: Here is the key.^[10]
6. In this world or life, on earth.^[10]

Interjection

1. Used to answer a roll call or to show that one is present.^[6][10]
2. Used to call someone's attention or when handing something over.^[10]

Adjective

1. Used for emphasis after this or these: This chair here is broken.^[6][10]
2. (nonstandard) Used between this and a noun: this here road.^[6][4]

Noun

1. This place or point: From here the path gets steeper.^[6][10]
2. the here and now: the present time.^[4][6]

Related words

• hither
• he
• there
• where
• hear

Usage notes

The obsolete noun here, an army or host, especially the Danish invaders of Anglo-Saxon England, used until 1508, has a separate source; it is related to harry, harbour and heriot.^[10][7][6] So has the obsolete adjective here, gentle or pleasant, recorded from Old English to 1420.^[10] In South African English, Here! is an exclamation of surprise or dismay, from the Afrikaans word for "Lord".^[13] Dictionary.com notes that here and hear are pronounced alike.^[14]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
7. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
8. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill
9. ^ a b Ayto, John (2005), Word Origins: The Secret Histories of English Words from A to Z, 2nd ed., London: A & C Black
10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 27 Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
11. ^ a b Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill
12. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)
13. ^ a b c d Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
14. ^ Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House