English Explanatory Dictionary

whilere

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adv
  1. A while ago; a time before; formerly, previously.

Pronunciation

/ʍaɪˈlɛː/ /waɪ-/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-whilere.wav /ʍaɪˈleɹ/

Word forms

whilere while-ere

Etymology

From Middle English whil er, whileere [and other forms], whilom er (“some while ago or before, formerly”), from Old English hwīle ǣr, hwīlum ǣr, from hwīle (accusative singular of hwīl), hwīlum (“at some time in the past, once; sometimes”) (dative plural of hwīl (“period of time, a while”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- (“to rest; peace, rest”)) + ǣr (“before”) (ultimately from Proto-Germanic *airiz (“before, earlier”)). The English word is analysable as while + ere.

Synonyms

erewhile erstwhile afore aforehand already antecedently at one time before beforehand beforetime ere erenow erstwhiles foretime formerly in advance in the past late once precedently previously sometime sometimes therebefore while whilere whilom yestertide yestertime yet

Antonyms

anymore any more at present at the minute at the moment at this moment in time atm currently just now now nowadays presently right now these days after afterhand afterward afterwards followingly hereafter later sithence subsequently yet
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