Skip to main content
Urban Dictionary Merch
Your favorite words on things you can wear, drink from, read, or give to a friend.
The Urban Dictionary Store sells gifts you’ll have to explain.

erstwhile 

"Former," "previous," "ex-"

Erstwhile works a lot like "ex," except it's an adjective instead of a prefix, much more formal and a little old-fashioned. Not everyone knows what it means. Lots of people slip it into sentences because it sounds fancy and makes them feel like they're from the 1890s.
My erstwhile and estimable business partner will be joining us for lunch."

"Wait, you guys aren't working together anymore?"

"What? No, we still are."

"Then why'd you say 'erstwhile'?"

"Because he went to Harvard, man! It doesn't get more erstwhile than that!"

"That's not what that word means, dude."

"Don't say 'dude.' It'll make you sound uneducated."
erstwhile by DRF December 16, 2013

erstwhile 

erstwhile by HottStuff6969 February 15, 2003

erstwhile 

All erstwhiles should be deposed from their abused positions of power.
erstwhile by Joe Cool February 15, 2003

erstwhile spouse 

Offbeat, gender-neutral way of referring to one's ex-wife or ex-husband.
I have a special ringtone in my cell phone that's only assigned to my ex-wife's phone numbers. So, when my cell phone makes that "oink-oink-oink" sound, I say "Oh, it must be my erstwhile spouse who's calling."

ex-wife ex-husband spouse estranged wife estranged husband

erstwhile virgin

One who has had some but very little sexual contact with another person. Coined by F. C. Ware.
Yeah, some girl gave him some head when he was in college, but he's been living with his mother for the last 15 years. He's not really a virgin, but he's an erstwhile virgin.
erstwhile virgin by Andrew July 14, 2004

elsewhile 

term only used while inebriated referring to another time and place.
My brain is elsewhile.
elsewhile by FxD August 15, 2004
More from Urban Dictionary

Oblication 

A vacation, feeling more like an obligation, that involves visiting or staying with family.
So Joe where are you taking the kids for spring break vacation? We are going on an oblication to Boca to visit my mother-in-law.
Oblication by kimmerr May 5, 2011
Word of the Day on October 25, 2026

Surf Dracula Syndrome 

A phenomenon in film/television series, most notably streaming series, where the main premise is drawn out to such a point that it takes an entire season or more to get the parts of the series the audience is actually interested in seeing.

For example, if a series is titled "Surf Dracula," a majority of viewers would tune in expecting to see Dracula surfing by the first or second episode. However, the entire first season would instead be tedious padding and backstory before finally ending with Dracula surfing in the last five minutes of the season finale.
I watched "Smallville" on Netflix the other day. Dude, it was ten seasons of filler before he finally flew! Major Surf Dracula Syndrome!
Word of the Day on October 24, 2026

Northstarring

Finding your way back to the truth by fixing on one verified fact and working out from there, the way you navigate by the North Star when everything around you is spinning.
Rumours were flying everywhere, so she went northstarring — one checked fact at a time.
Northstarring by Light Bearer October 22, 2026
Word of the Day on October 23, 2026
Load more