erstwhile

1 of 2

adverb

erst·while ˈərst-ˌ(h)wī(-ə)l

: in the past : formerly

cultures, erstwhile unknown to each other—

Robert Plank

erstwhile

2 of 2

Did you know?

The adverb erstwhile has been part of English since at least the 16th century, but it is formed from two words that are much older. It comes from the Old English words aer, meaning "early," and hwil, which has the same meaning as the modern word while. (The English word ere, meaning "before," is also a descendant of aer.) These days erstwhile is more likely to be encountered as an adjective, as in "erstwhile enemies." That adjective use is a much more recent development, having joined the language about three centuries after the adverb.

Examples of erstwhile in a Sentence

Adverb there's now a store where erstwhile lay green and pleasant pastures Adjective my erstwhile friend ignored me when I ran into her at the reunion

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Adverb

In South Africa’s middle class suburban areas, including Randburg, where there’s more visible policing, lockdown measures are being tightly enforced, leaving several erstwhile busy stalls and shopping areas empty. —

Quartz Africa, 4 Apr. 2020

Adjective

Carlson’s guest that night was Megyn Kelly, one of his erstwhile Fox News colleagues. —

Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024 While Belichick, 72, and Hudson, 24, began dating after his relationship with Holliday ended, their romance made headlines during The Roast of Tom Brady on Netflix in May, when the former Patriots quarterback poked fun at his erstwhile coach. —

Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for erstwhile