Etymologically
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awhile

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 15:53. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /əˈwaɪl/, /əˈʍaɪl/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English awhile, inherited from Old English āne hwīle (“(for) a while”),[2][3][4] the accusative of ān (“one”) and hwīl (“while”) (see one and while),[2] reduced to a while and written as one word from the 14th century.[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

For a short time: before 1000 in the OED, before the 12th century in Merriam-Webster;[6][5] the one-word form is from about 1300 in Etymonline.[4]

Semantic evolution

The OED notes that it was often written as one word improperly, where while is a noun and a an article, as in for awhile, from 1489.[6]

Timeline

  • before 1000 – āne hwīle.[6][3]
  • c. 1300 – awhile as one word.[4]
  • 1489 – written together where a while is meant.[6]

Modern meaning

Adverb

  1. For a short time; briefly.

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c d Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press