erewhile

[air-hwahyl, -wahyl]

adverb

Archaic.

1. a while before; formerly.

erewhile

/ ɛəˈwaɪl /

adverb

1. archaic,  a short time ago; a little while before

Word History and Origins

Origin of erewhile¹

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; ere, while

Example Sentences

I did not now watch the actors; I no longer waited with interest for the curtain to rise; my attention was absorbed by the spectators; my eyes, erewhile fixed on the arch, were now irresistibly attracted to the semicircle of chairs.

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It is thrilling, whether at early dawn, or what time the darkening wing of Night begins to flap, to hear a shrill cry of "Hear, hear!" to see a well-known figure cleaving the astonished air, and to behold Joseph G-ll-s, erewhile upright on the eastern turret, prone on that which lifts its head nearer the setting sun.

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There has been said to him by the reason within him the word that Virgil erewhile addressed to Dante: “Libero, dritto, e sano è il tuo arbitrio E fallo fora non fare a suo cenno; Per ch' io te sopra te corono e mitrio.”

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The Queen had not ascended her throne when the erewhile opponents of the Measure confessed that these anticipations were already fulfilled.

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Each contemplated the other with searching glance; both endeavoured to develop again out of the ruins of time those features which erewhile they had known and loved in one another.

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Related Words

• already 
• earlier www.thesaurus.com
• heretofore 
• once