whilst

[ hwahylst, wahylst ]

/ ʰwaɪlst, waɪlst /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR whilst ON THESAURUS.COM

conjunction

Chiefly British. while.

Nearby words

while there's life, there's hope, whiles, whilk, whillikers, whilom, whilst, whim, whim-wham, whimbrel, whimper, whimsey

Origin of whilst

1325–75; Middle English whilest, equivalent to whiles + parasitic -t as in amongst, amidst

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for whilst

Whilst Whitacre never defined himself as an “ally,” this remains a cautionary tale of what not to do.
Tech’s Male ‘Feminists’ Aren’t Helping|Cate Huston, Karen Catlin|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But recently, the MPAA has loosened the stick in its collective ass and allowed women to go there whilst maintaining an R rating.
Oral Sex Comes of Age in Hollywood: ‘Gone Girl’ the Latest Film to Showcase Female Pleasure|Marlow Stern|October 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What has allowed him to continue his activities for so long, whilst leaving such an extensive open-source trail?
Tehran’s Chinese Missile Man|Jefferson Morley|June 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The clothes generated electronic sounds that played in the night club, whilst the audience watched from sunken sofas.
Iris Van Herpen Spring/Summer 2014: Sonic Youth|Liza Foreman|October 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Whilst David Cameron is winning in the polls, Miriam is winning the battle of the WAGS without even trying.
The Downing Street Wives Club|Venetia Thompson|April 13, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Admiration is in its nature respectful, whilst desire tends to profane its object.
Lectures on the true, the beautiful and the good|Victor Cousin
The night swallowed them up; and Eileen sat waiting, whilst the band played softly and voices chatted incessantly around her.
The Haunting of Low Fennel|Sax Rohmer
He is wondrous loth to hazard his credulity, and whilst he fears to believe amiss, believes nothing.
Microcosmography|John Earle
And most often whilst society dines or dances and the elect applaud with languid grace the newest play by Mr. Bernard Shaw.
The Heart of a Woman|Emmuska Orczy, Baroness Orczy
We are here; and whilst this is close to you no foul thing can approach.
Dracula|Bram Stoker

British Dictionary definitions for whilst

whilst

/ (waɪlst) /

conjunction

mainly British another word for while (def. 1), while (def. 2), while (def. 3), while (def. 4), while (def. 5)

Word Origin for whilst

C13: from whiles + -t as in amidst

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012