whilst

CEFRB1

/waɪlst/

conjunction · adverb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    conjunction

    During the time that something happens; another form of while.

  2. 02

    conjunction

    Extra detail

    Synonym of while., During the whole, or until the end, of the time that; as long as, at the same time.

Examples

  • In the UK it is illegal to drive whilst holding a mobile phone.

  • The performers danced whilst singing - they performed extremely well.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
4

Also pronounced

  • /wɪlst/
  • /ʍaɪlst/

Deep Dive

conjunction

Extra meanings

  1. Synonym of while.

  2. During the whole, or until the end, of the time that; as long as, at the same time.

adverb

Extra meaning

  1. Often preceded by the: During the time; meanwhile.

More examples

In context

  • Whilst at university, Xiaowang held the post of class monitor.

  • Drivers must switch off engines whilst on stand.

  • Nay, I prethee put on this gown, & this beard, make him beleeue thou art ſir Topas the Curate, doe it quickly. Ile call ſir Toby the whilſt.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The children played happily in the garden blank the rain fell outside.

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

Nearby

Origin

conjunction

From Late Middle English whilst, whilest, qwhilste (Northern England), quilest (Northwest Midlands) [and other forms], from whiles (“during the time that, while; only so long as; provided that; because, since; until”) + -t (excrescent suffix, perhaps due to a combination of -(e)s and the following word the, or influenced by the superlative suffix -est). Whiles is derived from whiles (“period of time, a while”, noun) (probably from the second element of adverbs and conjunctions like otherwhiles and somewhiles), from while (“period of time, a while”, noun) + -s (suffix forming adverbs of manner, space, and time); and while is from Old English hwīl (“period of time, a while”), ultimately from...