awhile etymology

Etymology

The word "awhile" originated from the Old English words "ān" (meaning "one") and "hwīl" (meaning "time" or "while"). It originally meant "for a short time." Over time, the meaning of "awhile" has expanded to include longer periods.

Meaning

"Awhile" means for a period of time, especially a short or indefinite one. It can be used to refer to both past and future events.

Origin

• Old English: ān + hwīl
• Middle English: a while
• Modern English: awhile

Examples

• I'll be back awhile. (I'll be back in a short time.)
• We stayed awhile to chat. (We stayed for a while to talk.)
• I've been looking for this book awhile. (I've been looking for this book for a while.)
• I'll wait awhile before I decide. (I'll wait for a while before I make a decision.)

awhile relate terms

• while

  Etymology is the study of the origin and historical development of words It involves trac

• time

  Etymology Old English tîma time period hour West Germanic tîmon Proto Germanic

• worthwhile

  Etymology Word Worthwhile Origin Old English Meaning Worthwhile means having val

• amidst

  Etymology of Amidst Middle English amiddes amides Old English on middes on midde P

• acquiesce

  Etymology Latin acquiescere to rest in one s mind Compound word from ad to

• acquit

  Etymology Old French aquiter from Late Latin aquittare from Latin adquittare meaning

• awhile

  Etymology The word awhile originated from the Old English words ān meaning one a

• quiesce

  Etymology Latin quiescō quiescere quiēvī quiētum to rest be quiet be at pea

• quiescent

  Etymology From Latin quiescere to rest from the Proto Indo European root kwei

• quiet

  Etymology The word quiet originates from the Latin word quietus meaning rest ca

• Quietism

  Etymology Late Latin quietismus from Latin quiētus quiet calm Meaning Quieti

• quietude

  Etymology Quietude comes from the Latin word quietus meaning calm peaceful stil

• quietus

  Etymology Latin quietus calm quiet at rest Meaning Noun The act of extin

• quit

  Etymology The word quit comes from the Old French word quiter which means to give

• quitclaim

  Etymology Quitclaim is derived from the Old French phrase quite claimer meaning to r

• quite

  Etymology The word quite has a complex etymology with roots in multiple languages

• quit rent

  Etymology Quit verb to leave or abandon Rent noun a payment made for the use of so

• quittance

  Etymology French quittance from quitter to leave let go Latin quietus rest repos

• requiescat

  Etymology Latin requiescat third person singular present subjunctive of requiescer

• requiem

  Etymology French requiem Medieval Latin requies Latin requiem rest Meaning A

• requite

  Etymology Old French requerer Latin requiro requisitus to seek ask for search fo

• while

  Etymology is the study of the origin and historical development of words It involves trac

• whilom

• emphasis

  Etymology The word emphasis comes from the Greek word ἐμφάσις emphasis which

• disaster

  Etymology The word disaster comes from the Middle French word desastre which in turn

• individual

  Etymology from Latin individuum an individual thing or being from in not

• discourse

  Etymology Discourse n comes from the Old French descourir from the Latin discurrere

• pyramid

  Etymology The word pyramid comes from the ancient Greek word pyramis which means fi

• cherry

  Etymology The word cherry comes from the Middle English word cheri which is derived