What does the older word yonder mean?

"Yonder" is an adverb that means "over there" or "at that place". It indicates a location that is relatively distant from the speaker, but still within sight.

It often implies a sense of mystery, remoteness, or even awe.

Here are some examples:

* "Look yonder! There's a beautiful sunset."

* "I saw a strange bird flying yonder."

* "They lived yonder in the mountains."

While still used in poetry and literature to create a more formal or evocative tone, it is less common in everyday speech, with "over there" being a more common and direct replacement.