Etymograph

English

the while

The while comes from Middle English þe while, and goes back to Old English þā hwīle.

  1. Old Englishc. 450–1150þā hwīle1
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500þe while1
  3. Englishearliest quotation 2012the while1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English the while
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2012, Tracy Saunders, The Indalo Quest: “Finally, she reluctantly piled in with me, complaining the…”.

Lineage

  1. Old Englishc. 450–1150þā hwīleWiktionary, English the while
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500þe whileWiktionary, English the while
  3. Englishearliest quotation 2012the whileWiktionary, English the while. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2012, Tracy Saunders, The Indalo Quest: “Finally, she reluctantly piled in with me, complaining the…”

Every English word from Old English þā hwīle

Today it means

adv At the same time; during that period; meanwhile.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “the while”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Old English þā hwīle / the while

Shirt and support for this word