Before this time; previously or in the past (now archaic).
Compound of 'here' (in the sense of 'to this point') and 'before' (Old English 'beforan'). Used in older English to mean 'up to this point in time.'
The prefix 'here-' in older English could mean not just 'at this place' but also 'to this point' or 'with regard to this'—so 'herebefore' is really saying 'before now,' much like 'heretofore.'
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.