whilst

[ hwahylst, wahylst ]

/ ʰwaɪlst, waɪlst /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR whilst ON THESAURUS.COM

conjunction

Chiefly British. while.

Words nearby whilst

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. 2020

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

whilst

conjunction

Words related to whilst

Words nearby whilst

Origin of whilst

Examples from the Web for whilst

British Dictionary definitions for whilst

conjunction

Word Origin for whilst