What is meaning of erstwhile and where is it used? How can I use this word in real life while texting, talking, and so on?
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1Erstwhile is a formal term, use the more common former or one-time: oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/american_english/…– user66974Aug 7, 2015 at 6:20
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@Josh61 You said: I'd say it is formal and used mainly in writing, but far from disappeared and "it's alive and kicking" To which I replied it is rarely heard or used etc. (see comments below Candied Orange). Where in any of these dictionary entries does it say that the term is used mostly in writing. And by the way, a formal term can still be very commonly heard and used. 1) oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/erstwhile 2) oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/american_english/… 3) dictionary.reference.com/browse/erstwhile?s=t– Mari-Lou AAug 7, 2015 at 11:46
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Do those dictionaries say it is rarely used or heard? They usually do with rare terms.– user66974Aug 7, 2015 at 11:55
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@Andrew Leach- can you please post what OED says about 'erstwhile'? I don't have access to it.– user66974Aug 7, 2015 at 12:07
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oed says erstwhile means former oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/erstwhile– dipsAug 7, 2015 at 12:11
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1 Answer
Erstwhile means former, as in, no longer. It is archaic. You can use it in real life so long as you're in period dress at a renaissance fair. Other than that expect people to look at you funny. Well actually, I can't guarantee they won't do that at the fair either...
answered Aug 7, 2015 at 6:29
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1I'd say it is formal and used mainly in writing, but far from disappeared:books.google.com/ngrams/…– user66974Aug 7, 2015 at 6:35
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Ok, at a renaissance fair or as a film noir author. I still make no guarantees regarding looks. "Of all the answers to comment on he had to comment on mine...." Aug 7, 2015 at 6:42
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@Josh61 you know as well as I that Ngram does not "show" us how popular or common a single term is. Compare it with any of the suggested synonyms thesaurus.com/browse/erstwhile Aug 7, 2015 at 6:57
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@Josh61 please look at Google Books results for "erstwhile" google.it/… It is extremely rare, possibly found in print, but nowadays nobody actually "says" it. I can't upvote this answer because it's a little too flippant, and it ignores the other uses of erstwhile. Aug 7, 2015 at 7:00
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@Mari-LouA - that's not the point I was making, erstwhile is still alive and kicking despite it is not a common term.– user66974Aug 7, 2015 at 7:02