Erstwhile

C1 16+

Pronunciation: /ˈɝstˌhwaɪl/

Definitions of erstwhile

adjective former or previous

Example Sentences

A1 My erstwhile best friend moved away last year.

A2 I miss my erstwhile job at the bakery.

B1 The company decided to rehire their erstwhile CEO.

B2 The erstwhile champion was defeated in the final match.

C1 The erstwhile allies are now bitter enemies.

C2 The erstwhile king abdicated the throne in favor of his son.

adverb formerly or previously

Example Sentences

A1 He was my erstwhile best friend.

A2 She visited her erstwhile hometown for the first time in years.

B1 The company's erstwhile CEO was replaced after a scandal.

B2 The erstwhile champion was defeated in the final round.

C1 The erstwhile undisputed leader of the industry has faced tough competition in recent years.

C2 Despite his erstwhile success, he now struggles to maintain his reputation.

Examples of erstwhile in a Sentence

formal The erstwhile CEO of the company has now taken on a new role as chairman of the board.

informal I bumped into my erstwhile best friend at the grocery store yesterday.

slang I heard that the erstwhile couple is back together again.

figurative The ruins of the erstwhile castle still stand as a reminder of its former glory.

Grammatical Forms of erstwhile

past tense

erstwhiled

plural

erstwhiles

comparative

more erstwhile

superlative

most erstwhile

present tense

is erstwhile

future tense

will be erstwhile

perfect tense

has been erstwhile

continuous tense

is being erstwhile

singular

erstwhile

positive degree

erstwhile

infinitive

to erstwhile

gerund

erstwhiling

participle

erstwhiled

Origin and Evolution of erstwhile

First Known Use: 1300 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The word 'erstwhile' originated from Middle English, where 'erst' meant former or previous, and 'while' meant time or period.
Evolution of the word: Over time, 'erstwhile' has retained its meaning of former or previous, but it is now considered somewhat archaic and is mostly used in formal or literary contexts.