conj · name · noun · prep · verb · 14 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ʍaɪl/
/waɪl/
US, unstressed:/wæl/
US, unstressed:/wɑl/
US:non-wine-whineRecorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:wine-whineRecorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -aɪl
homophone: wile
CMU ARPABET:W AY1 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:HH W AY1 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
conj
Meaning 1
During the same time that.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He was sleeping while I was singing.
Driving while intoxicated is against the law.
I lived in Ávila for two lustra while I was a child.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
conj
Meaning 2
Although.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
This case, while interesting, is a bit frustrating.
While I would love to help, I am very busy at the moment.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
conj
Meaning 3
Until.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Northern-England, Scotland
Examples
I'll wait while you've finished painting.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
conj
Meaning 4
As long as.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
While you're at school you may live at home.
While there's quiet I can sleep.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
name
Meaning 5
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
An uncertain duration of time, a period of time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He lectured for quite a long while.
It’s a long while since anyone lived there, so it’s a ruin now.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: spell, space, throw, while
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
An uncertain duration of time, a period of time.
An uncertain long period of time
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: spell, space, throw, while, age, aeon, ages, blue moon, coon's age, crow's age, dog's age, donkey's years, eld, eon, eternity, forever, forever and a day, interim, interlude, interval, lifetime, long haul, long run, meantime, minute, month of Sundays, years, yonks
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
An uncertain duration of time, a period of time.
an uncertain short moment
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Philippines
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: spell, space, throw, while, bit, bat of an eye, blink of an eye, crack, eyeblink, flash, glimpse, half a mo, instant, jiff, jiffy, jot, minute, mo, moment, New York minute, New York second, no time, sec, second, span, split-second, spurt, stound, tick, trice, twink, twinkle, twinkling
Antonyms: none provided
9
prep
Meaning 9
Until.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Northern-England, Scotland
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
verb
Meaning 10
To pass (time) idly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: in-compounds, transitive
Qualifier: see also while away
Examples
I whiled away the hours whilst waiting for him to arrive
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: idle, laze, lounge
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
To occupy or entertain (someone) in order to let time pass.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
verb
Meaning 12
To elapse, to pass.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
verb
Meaning 13
Alternative spelling or misspelling of wile.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative, misspelling
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
noun
Meaning 14
a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he was here for a little while
I need to rest for a piece
a spell of good weather
a patch of bad weather
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: piece, spell, patch
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: time
Narrower terms: cold spell, cold snap, hot spell, snap
History
Etymology
From Middle English whyle, from Old English hwīl, from Proto-West Germanic *hwīlu, from Proto-Germanic *hwīlō (compare Dutch wijl, Low German Wiel, German Weile, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål hvile (“rest”), Norwegian Nynorsk kvila (“rest”), Swedish vila (“rest”), Faroese and Icelandic hvíla (“rest”)) from Proto-Indo-European *kwyeh1- (“to rest”). Cognate with Albanian sillë (“breakfast”), Latin tranquillus, Sanskrit चिर (cirá), Persian شاد (šâd).
Across languages
Translations
240 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
فِي حِين
(fī ḥīn)
— during the same time that
Arabic:
بَيْنَمَا
(baynamā)
— during the same time that
Arabic:
لما
(lama)
— during the same time that
Arabic:
فلْوقْط
(fəlwəqṭ)
— during the same time that
Armenian:
մինչ
(minčʻ)
— during the same time that
Asturian:
mientres
— during the same time that
Asturian:
dun
— during the same time that
Basque:
bitartean
— during the same time that
Belarusian:
паку́ль
(pakúlʹ)
— during the same time that
Belarusian:
у той час як
(u toj čas jak)
— during the same time that
Belarusian:
да таго́ ча́су, паку́ль
(da tahó čásu, pakúlʹ)
— during the same time that
Bulgarian:
докато
(dokato)
— during the same time that
Catalan:
mentre
— during the same time that
Catalan:
mentre que
— during the same time that
Chinese Mandarin:
...的時候 /...的时候
(...de shíhou)
— during the same time that
Chinese Mandarin:
當 /当
(dāng)
— during the same time that
Czech:
zatímco
— during the same time that
Danish:
mens
— during the same time that
Danish:
medens
— during the same time that
Dutch:
terwijl
— during the same time that
Egyptian:
x*t:f
(ḫft)
— during the same time that
Esperanto:
dum
— during the same time that
Finnish:
kun
— during the same time that
Finnish:
sillä välin kun
— during the same time that
Finnish:
sillä aikaa kun
— during the same time that
Finnish:
samaan aikaan kun
— during the same time that
French:
pendant que
— during the same time that
French:
tant que
— during the same time that
French:
tandis que
— during the same time that
French:
alors que
— during the same time that
West-Frisian:
wylst
— during the same time that
Galician:
mentres
— during the same time that
Galician:
entrementres
— during the same time that
Galician:
namentres
— during the same time that
Georgian:
განმავლობაში
(ganmavlobaši)
— during the same time that
German:
während
— during the same time that
German:
solange
— during the same time that
Gothic:
𐌸𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌴
(þandē)
— during the same time that
Greek:
καθώς
(kathós)
— during the same time that
Greek:
ενώ
(enó)
— during the same time that
Greek:
ενόσω
(enóso)
— during the same time that
Hebrew:
בזמן ש־
(biz'mán she-)
— during the same time that
Hungarian:
miközben
— during the same time that
Hungarian:
mialatt
— during the same time that
Hungarian:
amíg
— during the same time that
Hungarian:
ameddig
— during the same time that
Hungarian:
míg
— during the same time that
Ido:
dum
— during the same time that
Ido:
dum ke
— during the same time that
Indonesian:
sementara
— during the same time that
Indonesian:
seraya
— during the same time that
Interlingua:
durante que
— during the same time that
Irish:
agus
— during the same time that
Italian:
mentre
— during the same time that
Japanese:
...間に
(...aida ni)
— during the same time that
Japanese:
...時に
(...toki ni)
— during the same time that
Japanese:
...ながら
(...nagara)
— during the same time that
Khmer:
ក្នុងពេល
(knoŋ peel)
— during the same time that
Korean:
동안
(dong'an)
— during the same time that
Latgalian:
cikom
— during the same time that
Latgalian:
koleņ
— during the same time that
Latin:
dum
— during the same time that
Latin:
dōnec
— during the same time that
Latvian:
kamēr
— during the same time that
Low German:
wil
— during the same time that
Macedonian:
додека
(dodeka)
— during the same time that
Malay:
sambil
— during the same time that
Malay:
semasa
— during the same time that
Malay:
sementara
— during the same time that
Māori:
keiwhā
— during the same time that
Māori:
koi
— during the same time that
Norwegian Bokmål:
mens
— during the same time that
Norwegian Nynorsk:
medan
— during the same time that
Old Church Slavonic:
ѥгда
(jegda)
— during the same time that
Old English:
þā hwīle þe
— during the same time that
Persian:
هنگامی که
(hangâmi ke)
— during the same time that
Persian:
مادامی که
(mâdâmê ke)
— during the same time that
Polish:
gdy
— during the same time that
Polish:
podczas
— during the same time that
Polish:
dopóki
— during the same time that
Portuguese:
enquanto
— during the same time that
Romanian:
în timp ce
— during the same time that
Russian:
пока́
(poká)
— during the same time that
Russian:
до тех пор, пока́
(do tex por, poká)
— during the same time that
Russian:
в то вре́мя, как
(v to vrémja, kak)
— during the same time that
Russian:
во вре́мя
(vo vrémja)
— during the same time that
Serbo-Croatian:
док
— during the same time that
Serbo-Croatian:
dok
— during the same time that
Sicilian:
a p'assissì
— during the same time that
Sicilian:
a mentri ca
— during the same time that
Sicilian:
nnô mentri ca
— during the same time that
Spanish:
mientras
— during the same time that
Spanish:
mientras que
— during the same time that
Spanish:
mientra (desus.)
— during the same time that
Spanish:
demientra (desus.)
— during the same time that
Swedish:
medan
— during the same time that
Thai:
ในขณะที่
(nai-kà-nà-tîi)
— during the same time that
Turkish:
-ken
— during the same time that
Turkish:
iken
— during the same time that
Turkish:
aynı zamanda
— during the same time that
Ukrainian:
по́ки
(póky)
— during the same time that
Ukrainian:
до́ки
(dóky)
— during the same time that
Ukrainian:
під ча́с
(pid čás)
— during the same time that
Ukrainian:
у той час як
(u toj čas jak)
— during the same time that
Ukrainian:
до тих пір, як
(do tyx pir, jak)
— during the same time that
Vietnamese:
trong khi
— during the same time that
Vietnamese:
trong lúc
— during the same time that
Walloon:
tins ki
— during the same time that
Walloon:
sol tins ki
— during the same time that
Yiddish:
בעת
(beys)
— during the same time that
Arabic:
وخّا
(wəḵḵa)
— although
Bashkir:
булһа ла
(bulha la)
— although
Catalan:
malgrat
— although
Czech:
byť
— although
Dutch:
hoewel
— although
Dutch:
terwijl
— although
Esperanto:
kvankam
— although
Finnish:
vaikka
— although
Finnish:
vaikkakin
— although
Finnish:
kun taas
— although
French:
tandis que
— although
French:
bien que
— although
French:
quoique
— although
German:
obwohl
— although
German:
obgleich
— although
German:
während
— although
German:
auch wenn
— although
Greek:
ενώ
(enó)
— although
Greek:
καίτοι
(kaítoi)
— although
Greek:
αν και
(an kai)
— although
Greek:
μολονότι
(molonóti)
— although
Hungarian:
bár
— although
Hungarian:
habár
— although
Hungarian:
noha
— although
Hungarian:
jóllehet
— although
Hungarian:
ámbár
— although
Interlingua:
ben que
— although
Italian:
malgrado
— although
Italian:
benché
— although
Italian:
sebbene
— although
Central Kurdish:
ئەگەرچی
(egerçî)
— although
Macedonian:
иако
(iako)
— although
Macedonian:
макар
(makar)
— although
Navajo:
yíneeʼ
— although
Norwegian Bokmål:
selv om
— although
Polish:
chociaż
— although
Polish:
mimo
— although
Portuguese:
embora
— although
Portuguese:
malgrado
— although
Romanian:
deși
— although
Russian:
хотя́
(xotjá)
— although
Spanish:
aunque
— although
Spanish:
si bien
— although
Spanish:
bien que
— although
Spanish:
aun cuando
— although
Swedish:
fastän
— although
Turkish:
rağmen
— although
Walloon:
mågré ki
— although
Walloon:
cweki
— although
Dutch:
zolang
— as long as
Finnish:
kun
— as long as
Finnish:
niin kauan kuin
— as long as
Finnish:
sillä välin kun
— as long as
Finnish:
sillä aikaa kun
— as long as
French:
tant que
— as long as
German:
solange
— as long as
Greek:
εφόσον
(efóson)
— as long as
Hungarian:
amíg
— as long as
Hungarian:
ameddig
— as long as
Hungarian:
míg
— as long as
Irish:
chomh fada is
— as long as
Irish:
chúns
— as long as
Norwegian Bokmål:
så lenge
— as long as
Romanian:
cât timp
— as long as
Spanish:
en tanto que
— as long as
Spanish:
con tal que
— as long as
Spanish:
siempre y cuando
— as long as
Spanish:
mientras
— as long as
Arabic:
مُدَّة
(mudda)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Arabic:
فَتْرَة
(fatra)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Catalan:
estona
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Chinese Mandarin:
一段時間 /一段时间
(yī duàn shíjiān)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Czech:
chvíle
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Dutch:
tijdje
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Dutch:
momentje
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Dutch:
een hele tijd
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Dutch:
poosje
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Finnish:
aika
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
French:
moment
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
West-Frisian:
skoft
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Galician:
tempo
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Galician:
intre
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Georgian:
დრო
(dro)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Georgian:
დროის მონაკვეთი
(drois monaḳveti)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
German:
Weile
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
German:
Weilchen n diminutive
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
German:
Zeitspanne
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Gothic:
𐍈𐌴𐌹𐌻𐌰
(ƕeila)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Greek:
διάστημα
(diástima)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Greek:
χρόνος
(chrónos)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Hungarian:
idő
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Hungarian:
egy ideig
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Hungarian:
egy darabig
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Interlingua:
tempore
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Irish:
tamall
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Irish:
scaitheamh
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Italian:
periodo
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Italian:
po'
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Italian:
lasso di tempo
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Japanese:
期間
(kikan)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Kazakh:
сол уақытта
(sol uaqytta)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Korean:
한참
(hancham)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Korean:
기간
(gigan)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Korean:
동안
(dong'an)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Central Kurdish:
ماوە
(mawe)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Manchu:
ᠪᡳᠯᠠᡤᠠᠨ
(bilagan)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Norwegian:
stund
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Old English:
hwīl
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Polish:
chwila
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Polish:
jakiś czas
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Portuguese:
tempo
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Romanian:
vreme
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Russian:
вре́мя
(vrémja)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Russian:
промежу́ток вре́мени
(promežútok vrémeni)
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Scottish Gaelic:
greis
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Spanish:
rato
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Swedish:
stund
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Swedish:
tag
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Thai:
ขณะที่
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Turkish:
-ken
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Turkish:
iken
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Walloon:
moumint
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Walloon:
hapêye
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Walloon:
houbonde
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
Welsh:
sbel
— uncertain duration of time, a period of time
German:
vertrödeln
— to loiter
German:
unterhalten
— to entertain (someone) in order to let time pass
German:
beschäftigen
— to entertain (someone) in order to let time pass
German:
(gemeinsam) die Zeit verbringen
— to entertain (someone) in order to let time pass
Italian:
intrattenere
— to entertain (someone) in order to let time pass