Robert Plank
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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.
Synonyms
Examples of erstwhile in a Sentence
Quartz Africa, 4 Apr. 2020
John Koblin, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Raffles repurposed the landmark Old War Office—Churchill's erstwhile HQ—while the Peninsula broke new ground just opposite the Buckingham Palace garden, both brands staking claims in prime London real estate.
—Toby Skinner, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2024
Next door to the Rahimi house, Heather Ruttan remembered her erstwhile neighbors as quiet and keeping to themselves.
—Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024
The anti-Bibi demonstrators rushed to fulfill their reserve duties despite the protests, as erstwhile anti-Netanyahu organizers supplanted the dysfunctional Israeli government in caring for evacuees from the country’s south and north.
—Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 7 Feb. 2024
His erstwhile backup, fellow former Patriot Brian Hoyer, last won a game in 2016 and has lost his past 13 starts.
—Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2024
Advertisement Defense lawyers, led by prominent Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, have argued that Erickson, Grossman’s erstwhile boyfriend, is responsible for the fatalities.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2024
Other collaborators will also tour the country with the erstwhile rapper, including Nate Mercereau, Surya Botofasina and Deantoni Parks.
—Dawn Burkes, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2024
Robert McDowall, their erstwhile supporter on the States and one of the central figures implicated in the corruption charges, had been appointed the third trustee of JTrails, alongside Roberts’s wife and James.
—Rebecca Panovka, Harper's Magazine, 9 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'erstwhile.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Erstwhile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erstwhile. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
erstwhile
1 of 2 adverb
erstwhile
2 of 2 adjective
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