Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

erstwhile

/ˈɝst.waɪl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.90 in modern English

Syllables: erst-while
IPA: /ˈɝst.waɪl/

15

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

Formerly; in the past.

Formal; Literary

adj

Former, previous.

Indian usage; Literary

adj

Respected, honourable.

Example Sentences

"“Scarcely had Alice reached her twentieth birthday, than she gave her erstwhile fiancée^([sic]) his formal congé.[…]”"
"As an aftermath of the erstwhile competition between companies, 41 goods depots served the Liverpool and Birkenhead docks in 1923."
"Other erstwhile stalwarts are also wavering. Southampton had two of the best full-backs in the league last season but Ryan Bertrand has been below par this season and Cédric Soares made an uncharacteristic lapse that led to Stoke’s winning goal in Southampton’s last outing."
"If you're for one of my erstwhile opponents, that's O.K. Just don't work too hard."

Etymology

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

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈɝst.waɪl/
British English: /ˈɜː(ɹ)st.waɪl/

Usage

Synonyms

former once previous quondam onetime antecedent anterior earlier erstwhile ex foregone hitherto

Questions

How do you pronounce erstwhile?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɝst.waɪl/.
What does erstwhile mean?: Formerly; in the past.
Where does erstwhile come from?: From erst (“first, formerly”) + while.

How to pronounce erstwhile

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “erstwhile”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɝst.waɪl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “erstwhile”.
Repeat and practice — Say “erstwhile” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.