whilst

Meanings

1. 1
   conj

   During the time that; while (chiefly British and formal).

   Drivers must switch off their engines whilst waiting at the gate.

2. 2
   conj

   Whereas; in contrast to the fact that.

   Whilst I understand your point, I cannot agree with it.

From Late Middle English whilst, whilest, qwhilste (Northern England), quilest (Northwest Midlands) [and other forms], from whiles (“during the time that, while; only so long as; provided that; because, since; until”) + -t (excrescent suffix, perhaps due to a combination of -(e)s and the following word the, or influenced by the superlative suffix -est). Whiles is derived from whiles (“period of time, a while”, noun) (probably from the second element of adverbs and conjunctions like otherwhiles and somewhiles), from while (“period of time, a while”, noun) + -s (suffix forming adverbs of manner,…

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