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.
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Examples of erstwhile in a Sentence
Quartz Africa, 4 Apr. 2020
Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2024
One joy of the erstwhile video-game manual was that it could be studied while away from the console, creating anticipation and helping players develop strategy.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 26 June 2024
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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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“Erstwhile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erstwhile. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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erstwhile
1 of 2 adverb
erstwhile
2 of 2 adjective
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