Where does “erstwhile” come from?
Erstwhile derives from Old English hwīl and ǣresta, tracing through Proto-Germanic airist and ultimately to Proto-Indo-European roots kʷyeh₁-, -istHos, -tós, and -yoss meaning superlative degree.
erstwhile (English): Formerly; in the past; Former, previous;...
Definitions
- Formerly; in the past; Former, previous;...
Ancestry of “erstwhile”, step by step
erstwhile traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English while
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | while | An uncertain duration of time, a period of time;... |
| 2 | Middle English | whyle | while |
| 3 | Old English | hwīl | time; while; while; time, while |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | hwīlu | period of rest, pause; time, period of time,... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hwīlō | time, period of time, while; period of rest,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷyeh₁- | to rest; rest, peace |