wherebouts
Whereabouts; about where somebody or something is.
Also called whereabouts, where abouts.
Updated September 24, 2026
wherebouts pronunciation
/WAIR-bouts/
Meaning
A clipped whereabouts. Rural Southern and Appalachian speakers drop the middle a and ask wherebouts somebody lives, works, or got off to. Same question as "about where," just quicker in the mouth. Can also name a person's location: "I don't know his wherebouts."
How folks use it
- “Wherebouts in Kentucky did you say you worked?”
- “We ain't heard his wherebouts since he left for the plant.”
Origin and etymology
From standard English whereabouts, around since Middle English. Country talk shortens it the same way other long words get clipped in mountain speech. Related dialect forms include whar for where. Not fancy etymology, just spoken English winning over the spelling.
Frequently asked questions
Is wherebouts wrong?
Schoolbooks prefer whereabouts. On the porch, wherebouts is clear and common.