whereabouts

Whereabouts is a noun that refers to the place where someone or something is located at a given time. It is often used when the exact position is unknown or uncertain, as in the whereabouts of the missing pilot or the whereabouts of the package. In general usage it can describe a person’s current location or the location of objects, records, or shipments.

Etymology and usage notes: The term derives from where + about, historically used in English to indicate a general area rather than a precise point. In British English it is commonly treated as singular or as a noncount noun: “What are your whereabouts?” In American usage, speakers more commonly say “where are you” or “location,” but can still encounter “whereabouts” in formal or written contexts. The phrase often appears with modifiers such as “unknown,” “private,” or “current.”

Examples: “The police are trying to determine the suspects’ whereabouts.” “Please report the whereabouts of the misplaced letter.” “Her exact whereabouts are not known.” In inventory or shipping contexts: “The shipment’s whereabouts are uncertain.”

In culture: There is a literary work titled Whereabouts, a 2021 novel by Jhumpa Lahiri, originally written in Italian.

See also: location, position, place, proximity.