erstwhile
pronunciation
How to pronounce erstwhile in British English:
UK [ˈɜ:stwaɪl]
How to pronounce erstwhile in American English:
US [ˈɜrstwaɪl]
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- Adjective:
- belonging to some prior time
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- Adverb:
- at a previous time
Word Origin
- erstwhile (adv.)
- 1560s, "formerly," from erst "first, at first; once, long ago; till now" (13c.), earlier erest from Old English ærest "soonest, earliest," superlative of ær (see ere) + while (adv.). As an adjective, "former," from 1903. Cognate with Old Saxon and Old High German erist, German erst.
Example
- 1. Administrators of lehman 's london arm are considering litigation against its erstwhile parent .
- 2. Her work detains her between the party 's office and her home , her erstwhile prison .
- 3. My erstwhile publisher asked whether I would acquiesce to omitting some " sensitive material " and changing some wording .
- 4. But anna 's ex-husband , an englishman , went further than anyone , given the chance to cash in on his erstwhile russian wife .
- 5. In recent months they have not been especially happy with their erstwhile american ally , despite the bush administration 's belated effort to address arab concerns over palestine and to disentangle itself from iraq .