erstwhile

CEFRC2

/ˈɜː(ɹ)st.waɪl/

adjective · adverb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Former; true or existing in the past.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Former, previous.

Examples

  • My erstwhile colleague kept me up-to-date with the company gossip.

  • The erstwhile lovers chatted and caught up.

At a glance

Sits at C2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
2
Citations
4
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meaning
  1. Respected, honourable.

adverb

Extra meaning
  1. Formerly; in the past.

More examples

In context
  • As an aftermath of the erstwhile competition between companies, 41 goods depots served the Liverpool and Birkenhead docks in 1923.

  • “Scarcely had Alice reached her twentieth birthday, than she gave her erstwhile fiancée^([sic]) his formal congé.[…]”

  • If you're for one of my erstwhile opponents, that's O.K. Just don't work too hard.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The blank CEO returned to the company after a decade to offer his advice.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From erst (“first, formerly”) + while.