erst

Meanings

Adjective

• First.

Adverb

• First of all, before (some other specified thing).
• Sooner (than); before.
• Formerly, once, erstwhile.

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 eerst, ærst, West Frisian earst ("first"), Dutch eerste ("first"), German erste ("first").
• From Middle English erst, arst, erest, from Old English ǣrest ("first, erst, at first, before all"), from Proto-West Germanic *airist(ō) ("erst"). Cognate with Scots erst ("erst"), Dutch eerst.