while

A2 Topic:Grammar & Function Words

US /ʍaɪl/ See IPA manual

Freq #303

Meanings

1

conj
During the time that; at the same time as.

He fell asleep while watching television.
2

noun
A period of time, usually short.

Let's rest here for a while.
3

conj
Although; whereas; used to show a contrast.

While I understand your point, I don't agree with it.
4

verb
To spend time in a relaxed way, especially while waiting.

We whiled away the afternoon playing cards.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 conj · during the time that; at... whilst

4 verb · to spend time in a relaxed... idle

More as until when whilom

Opposites

since until

Word family

Forms whiledwhiling

Derived forms awhile meanwhilesort-while-pickwait-a-whilewhile-erewhilerewhiles whilst worthwhile

From Middle English whyle, from Old English hwīl, from Proto-West Germanic *hwīlu, from Proto-Germanic *hwīlō (compare Dutch wijl, Low German Wiel, German Weile, Danish hvile (“rest”), Norwegian Bokmål hvile (“rest”)), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- (“to rest”). Cognate with Albanian sillë (“breakfast”), Latin tranquillus, Sanskrit चिर (cirá), Persian شاد (šâd).

*kʷyeh₁- Proto-Indo-European whyle Middle English hwīl Old English *hwīlu Proto-West Germanic *hwīlō Proto-Germanic

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# while

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** conj, noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ʍaɪl/
**Frequency rank:** 303

## Meanings
1. During the time that; at the same time as.
2. A period of time, usually short.
3. Although; whereas; used to show a contrast.
4. To spend time in a relaxed way, especially while waiting.

## Examples
- He fell asleep while watching television.
- Let's rest here for a while.
- While I understand your point, I don't agree with it.
- We whiled away the afternoon playing cards.

## Synonyms
- as
- until
- when
- whilom

## Antonyms
- since
- until

## Derived Forms
- awhile
- meanwhile
- sort-while-pick
- wait-a-while
- while-ere
- whilere
- whiles
- whilst
- worthwhile

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *kʷyeh₁-
- Root: whyle
- Root: hwīl
- Root: *hwīlu
- Root: *hwīlō

## Etymology
From Middle English whyle, from Old English hwīl, from Proto-West Germanic *hwīlu, from Proto-Germanic *hwīlō (compare Dutch wijl, Low German Wiel, German Weile, Danish hvile (“rest”), Norwegian Bokmål hvile (“rest”)), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- (“to rest”). Cognate with Albanian sillë (“breakfast”), Latin tranquillus, Sanskrit चिर (cirá), Persian شاد (šâd).

## AI Etymology
While is from Middle English whyle, from Old English hwīl, from Proto-West Germanic *hwīlu, from Proto-Germanic *hwīlō (compare Dutch wijl, Low German Wiel, German Weile, Danish hvile (“rest”), Norwegian Bokmål hvile (“rest”)), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- (“to rest”). Cognate with Albanian sillë (“breakfast”), Latin tranquillus, Sanskrit चिर (cirá), Persian شاد (šâd). Important historical forms include Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁-, Middle English whyle, Old English hwīl, Proto-West Germanic *hwīlu, and Proto-Germanic *hwīlō. In present-day use, it can mean during the time that; at the same time as, or a period of time, usually short.

## Topics
- Grammar & Function Words

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