Aforetimes

Part of speech: adverb

Pronunciation: /əˈfɔːˌtaɪmz/

Definitions

1. Denoting a time in the past, particularly in earlier periods of history or personal experience
2. Referring to a previous time, often used to indicate a point long before the present
3. Describing an earlier era or past moments that are no longer current

Etymology: "Aforetimes" is a plain adverb built from "aforetime," which means "in earlier times" or "formerly," with a genitive-style "-s" added at the end. The "-s" is the same ending found in "afterwards," "towards," and "whilst," where it once marked a genitive or adverbial case and later hardened into a fixed adverbial ending. Adding it to "aforetime" gives a form that means essentially the same thing, though it sounds more archaic and literary than its base. "Aforetime" itself is a compound of "afore," meaning "before" in time or position, and "time." The first element, "afore," comes from Old English "onforan," built from "on" and "foran," "before," so the whole word is a very old English combination of two native elements rather than a borrowing. Speakers of Middle English used "aforetime" in the same temporal sense, and the "-s" form simply stretched that sense into a more formal, poetic register.

Synonyms: formerly, previously, in the past