Whither means “to what place” or “to where.” It's an old-fashioned way of asking where something or someone is going. Instead of asking “Where are you going?” someone in Shakespeare's time might have asked “Whither goest thou?”

You'll encounter this word mainly in older books, poems, and historical documents. The word sounds formal and poetic to modern ears, which is why contemporary writers rarely use it in everyday conversation.

Whither can also suggest uncertainty about the future direction of something. A newspaper headline might read “Whither democracy?” to question where democracy is headed. This usage treats whither less like a simple direction question and more like a contemplation of fate or destiny.

The word is closely related to hither (to here) and thither (to there), forming a set of directional words that have mostly disappeared from modern English. While you won't use whither in casual conversation, recognizing it helps you understand classic literature and historical writing.