Formerly
Example: The building was formerly a school before becoming a library.
Definition
"Formerly" is an adverb used to indicate that something existed or happened in the past but does not anymore. It describes a previous state or condition, as in the phrase 'The building was formerly a school before becoming a library.'
Etymology
The word "formerly" comes from the Old English word 'forma,' meaning 'first.' Over time, it evolved to mean 'in the past' or 'previously.' Did you know? Its roots connect to the idea of something happening before the present time.
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"Formerly" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - History - (A1) - set 1", containing 208 commonly used words.
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