erstwhile
Americanadjective
adverb
adjective
adverb
Etymology
Origin of erstwhile
Explanation
If your dad used to play in a punk band, but is now a computer programmer, you could call him an erstwhile punk rocker. Erstwhile means "former." Erstwhile comes from Old English and is a formal way to say "former." You can go to your class reunion 20 years after you graduate high school and see your erstwhile friends. That means that they had been your friends, but you lost touch with them, so that they weren't friends of yours anymore. Erstwhile can also be used as an adverb, meaning “formerly or once” — “Erstwhile, I was a member of the high school debate team.”
Vocabulary lists containing erstwhile
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Ancient Wisdom: Synonyms for "Old"
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Word Warriors: Four Years of Words Worth Reviving
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The S&P 500 fell 17% in late December that year, while the equal-weighted S&P 500 rose 20% as investors moved away from the erstwhile highflying technology stocks.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
Three plays later, Kirk Cousins found Cody White with an 11-yard pass, the second touchdown of the day for the erstwhile practice-squad receiver.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026
They spend plenty of time visiting the “Real World: Boston” house where Duffy reconnects with his erstwhile housemate, Montana McGlynn, and next to none discussing Boston’s pivotal role in igniting the American Revolution.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
That was before the alliance disintegrated, the two erstwhile allies turned on each other and the jihadists drove the Tuareg separatists out.
From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026
As for the West Computers’ erstwhile leader, Dorothy Vaughan found herself in a new seat in another brand-new building.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
