Whereabouts
/ˌwɛər.əˈbaʊts/noun
The location or position of someone or something; also, the state of being present or found.
Did you know?“Whereabouts” is a native English formation built from “where” + “about,” and it became a noun meaning “location” long before it was commonly used in the plural-looking phrase people hear today.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
hwǣr
“where”
Old English
OE
abūtan
“about, around, on all sides”
Middle English
ME
where aboute
“in the vicinity; around where”
16th Century
English
whereabouts
“the place or region around a location; location or position”
Modern English
English
whereabouts
“the location or position of a person or thing”