erstwhile

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
(ûrst'hwīl', -wīl') pronunciation
adv.
In the past; at a former time; formerly.

adj.
Former: our erstwhile companions.



is a word that dates from Old English, and is still occasionally found, mainly as an adjective meaning 'of old, former' and typically with reference to the recent past:
While he may be less popular than he was, he is still held in more esteem than his erstwhile colleagues—Morning Star, 2007.

Previous:ersatz, erratum, err
Next:escalate, escape verb and noun, escapee
Top

adverb

    At a time in the past: already, before, earlier, formerly, once, previously. Archaic aforetime, beforetime. See precede/follow.

adjective

    Having been such previously: former, late, old, once, onetime, past, previous, quondam, sometime, whilom. See precede/follow.

Obscure Words:

erstwhile

Top


former, previous; formerly, in the past
Random House Word Menu:

categories related to 'erstwhile'

Top
Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier
For a list of words related to erstwhile, see:

Translations:

Erstwhile

Top

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - tidligere, fordums
adv. - fordum, forhen

Nederlands (Dutch)
voormalig

Français (French)
adj. - d'autrefois, d'antan (arch)
adv. - autrefois, jadis

Deutsch (German)
adj. - einstig, ehemalig
adv. - ehedem, vormals

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - τέως, πρώην

Italiano (Italian)
di un tempo

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - anterior, primitivo

Русский (Russian)
давний, прежний

Español (Spanish)
adj. - antiguo
adv. - antiguamente

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - förutvarande

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
以前的, 往昔的, 以前, 往昔地

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 以前的, 往昔的
adv. - 以前, 往昔地

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 옛날의
adv. - 옛날에

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 昔の, かつての, 以前の

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) سابق‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮לשעבר, לפנים, קודם‬
adv. - ‮לשעבר, לפנים, קודם‬


Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

Copyrights:

Mentioned in

Westworld (Rock Band, '90s, 2000s)
Skinny (They Can't Get Enough) (1988 Album by Skinny Boys)