From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englisherstwhileerst‧while /ˈɜːstwaɪl $ ˈɜːrst-/ adjective [only before noun] formal BEFOREformer or in the past She found herself ostracized by erstwhile friends. his erstwhile allies
Examples from the Corpus
erstwhile• He has won over many of his erstwhile critics.• The movie theatres were showing well-made and respectable films to a large public that included many of their erstwhile critics.• With her erstwhile host's kind permission, she reminded herself bitterly.• What were your options when an erstwhile love returned?• Others say she avenges herself of the insult offered by her erstwhile lover by luring fishermen and other sailors to their doom.• It was my erstwhile swain, looking much the same as 10 years earlier.• She certainly needed a cup of tea, even if her erstwhile visitor didn't.Origin erstwhile (1500-1600) erst “formerly” ((11-19 centuries)) (from Old English ærest “earliest”) + while 