What does whilst mean?

Definitions for whilst
ʰwaɪlst, waɪlstwhilst

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word whilst.


Did you actually mean whole kit or walk-to?

Wiktionary

  1. whilstconjunction

    While, at the same time.

  2. Etymology: From. Cognate with wylst. More at whiles.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. While, Whiles, Whilstadverb

    Whiles is now out of use.

    Etymology: hwile , Saxon.

    Whiles I was protector,
    Pity was all the fault that was in me. William Shakespeare, Henry VI.

    What we have, we prize not to the worth,
    Whiles we enjoy it; but being lackt and lost,
    Why, then we rack the value. William Shakespeare.

    Repeated, while the sedentary earth
    Attains her end. John Milton.

    Use your memory, and you will sensibly experience a gradual improvement, while you take care not to over-load it. Isaac Watts, Logick.

    Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God, for your professed subjection unto the Gospel. 2 Cor. ix.

    Can he imagine that God sends forth an irresistible strength against some sins, whilst in others he permits men a power of repelling his grace? Decay of Piety.

Wikipedia

  1. whilst

    While is a word in the English language that functions both as a noun and as a subordinating conjunction. Its meaning varies largely based on its intended function, position in the phrase and even the writer or speaker's regional dialect. As a conjunction, it is synonymous with the word whilst, a form often considered archaic in American English, as well as in some style guides on both sides of the Atlantic.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Whilstadverb

    while

  2. Etymology: [From Whiles; cf. Amongst.]

Suggested Resources

  1. Whilst

    While vs Whilst -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words While and Whilst.

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'whilst' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1808

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'whilst' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1931

How to pronounce whilst?

How to say whilst in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of whilst in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of whilst in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of whilst in a Sentence

  1. Isaac Newton:

    I seem to have been like a child playing on the sea shore, finding now and then a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay undiscovered before me.

  2. Dave Sharma:

    In a way, Australia and New Zealand would become gatekeepers for access into Pacific IslandsBoth whilst the pandemic is continuing around the world. So that would of course give Australia and New Zealand further geopolitical advantages.

  3. Robert Southey:

    The core banks are in a catch 22, they can't all sell out at their desired price, whilst applying usual lending criteria is fraught with the risk that markets worsen and they are left holding the bag.

  4. Emily Thornberry:

    We need to be absolutely sure that we are not going to end up in a situation where the general election is used as a distraction whilst they (the government) by some cunning wheeze bounce us out of the European Union without a deal.

  5. Laith Khalaf:

    If you went back to the financial crisis very few people would have predicted that it would have taken so long to heal the wounds. Whilst RBS is relatively well capitalised, the issue is profitability rather than solvency.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

whilst#1#6388#10000

Translations for whilst

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

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Translation

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"whilst." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 30 Jan. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/whilst>.

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