Definitions
at a previous time
Word origin
From Middle English erste, from Old English ǣresta (“first”), from Proto-West Germanic *airist (“earliest, first”), equivalent to ere + -est. Cognate with North Frisian iarst, iáárs, jarst, jest (“first”), West Frisian earst (“first”), Dutch eerste (“first”), German erste (“first”).
Used in a sentence
“Consider what I erst have been and what thou seest me now:”
“When lofty trees I see barren of leaves Which erst from heat did canopy the herd”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer2 curated clues
01“Once, poetically”4 letters
02“Formerly, poetically”4 letters
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