# unto

/ˈəntu/ (US) · /ˈʌntʊ/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Preposition

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/unto
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

to or toward something. It is an old-fashioned word that you mostly see in religious books or very formal poetry.

For teachers: to or toward a person or thing. Archaic in modern prose; primarily used in liturgical, poetic, or highly formal contexts to evoke a sense of gravity or antiquity.

## Examples

- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
- The ancient king promised to be faithful unto death, a vow recorded in the stone carvings of his tomb.
- The poet describes a soul surrendering itself unto the infinite, using the archaic preposition to distance the narrative from the mundane language of the everyday world.

## Usage notes

- Functions as a preposition; in modern English, it is almost exclusively replaced by 'to' except in fixed idioms or deliberate stylistic archaisms.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.