whilom
/ˈwʌɪləm
/archaic
adverb
Formerly; in the past: the wistful eyes which whilom glanced down upon the fields...
- ‘Whom did I see but the whilom nursery governess sitting on a chair in one of these gardens’, meaning that the lady had once been a governess, but was one no longer.
- Legality documentary been had present award winning range director Branko Istvancic, he said that it is ‘sad story talk about evanescence life as we whilom live’.
adjective
Former; erstwhile: a whilom circus acrobat
Origin
Old English hwīlum 'at times', dative plural of hwīl (see while).