whereinto

Whereinto is an archaic English adverb and, less commonly, a conjunction meaning into which or into what destination. It introduces a clause that denotes the direction or end point of an action. In modern English the equivalent constructions are into which or to which; whereinto survives mainly in historical, religious, or poetic contexts as a stylistic archaism.

Etymology and history: The form is a fusion of where with into, dating from Middle English and flourishing in Early Modern English. It appears in translations and literature of the era and in some Bible versions (for example, the King James Bible), where it serves as a single-word indicator for movement or change of state. By the late 18th and 19th centuries, whereinto fell out of everyday use and became a marker of antiquity in scholarship and historical texts.

Usage and notes: Whereinto is primarily encountered in older texts and in modern scholarly editions that aim to reproduce historical language. It can be used to evoke an archaic tone, but contemporary prose generally favors modern equivalents. Do not confuse whereinto with whereunto, which means to what end or to which, or with wherein, which means in which.

Examples: Whereinto shall we proceed with this investigation? (Into which direction shall we proceed with this investigation?) In modern prose this would be rendered as Into which direction shall we proceed? Whereinto did this path lead? (Where did this path lead to?)

See also: whereunto, wherein, into which.