An archaic or obsolete word meaning 'before this time' or 'previously,' often used in old legal or religious documents.
From Middle English combining 'here' (this) and 'before' (previously). Common in Old and Middle English texts but largely replaced by 'heretofore' in modern English.
This word is so old that even 'heretofore' (which sounds archaic to us) was actually created as an improvement on 'herefore'—language keeps trying to update itself!
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