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definitions

whilst

[ hwahylst, wahylst ]
/ ʰwaɪlst, waɪlst /
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conjunction

Chiefly British. while.

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RELATED WORDS

although, during

Nearby words

  1. while there's life, there's hope,
  2. whiles,
  3. whilk,
  4. whillikers,
  5. whilom,
  6. whim,
  7. whim-wham,
  8. whimbrel,
  9. whimper,
  10. 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

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
Word Origin and History for whilst

whilst

adv.

late 14c., from while (q.v.) with adverbial genitive -s-, and excrescent -t- (as in amongst, amidst).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper