whilst

English

Alternative forms

• whilest (obsolete)
• whylst (obsolete)
• whylest (obsolete)

Etymology

From whiles +‎ -t. Cognate with West Frisian wylst (“whilst”). More at whiles.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA: /(h)waɪlst/, X-SAMPA: /waIlst/; IPA: /wɪlst/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Conjunction

whilst

1. (chiefly UK) While, at the same time.

Usage notes

• Chiefly used in British English.
• Rare in North America and may be considered archaic, pedantic or pompous.

Translations

while, at the same time

• Dutch: terwijl (nl)
• French: tandis que (fr), pendant que (fr)
• Indonesian: seraya (id)
• Portuguese: enquanto (pt)
• Russian: пока (ru) (poka); в то время, как (ru) (v to vrémja, kak); во время (ru) (vo vrémja)

• Spanish: mientras que (es)
• Swedish: medan (sv)
• Turkish: Aynı zamanda (tr)
• West Frisian: wylst (fy)

Related terms

• while

References

• while on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:while
• whilst in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• “whilst” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).