erstwhile

/ˈɜːstwaɪl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɜːrstwaɪl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈərst-ˌ(h)wī(-ə)l/ (ame, mw)

erstwhile — 形容詞

  • erstwhilepositive
  • erstwhilercomparative
  • erstwhilestsuperlative

1. used before a noun to describe a person, place, role, or arrangement that belong

1.形容詞C2
釋義

前任；昔日

屬於較早時期而現已不是的

used before a noun to describe a person, place, role, or arrangement that belonged to an earlier period but no longer has that position now.

例句

Ayesha met her erstwhile business partner at the station cafe.

Ayesha 在車站咖啡館遇見她先前的生意夥伴。

erstwhile + noun for a former relationship

The museum reopened its erstwhile library as a room for children.

博物館把先前的圖書室重新改成兒童活動室。

同義詞
  • former

    the normal everyday choice for a past role, relationship, or position

  • previous

    broader and less literary; often used for the item that came before in a sequence

  • one-time

    journalistic and often used for past roles or allies

反義詞
  • current

    describes the role or situation that exists now

  • present

    emphasizes what belongs to the time now

文法句型

erstwhile + noun

用法筆記

Used almost entirely in formal or literary writing, usually before nouns for past roles, relationships, or institutions. In everyday English, 'former' is normally the more natural choice.

常見錯誤

❌She is erstwhile my teacher.
✅She is my former teacher.' or 'She was once my teacher.
💡'erstwhile' is used before a noun, not after a linking verb.
❌My erstwhile phone broke last night.
✅My old phone broke last night.
💡'erstwhile' sounds too literary for ordinary everyday possessions.

erstwhile — 副詞