- at or in a former time; in the past
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
for•mer•ly /ˈfɔrmɚli/USA pronunciation
adv.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- in time past;
in an earlier period or age;
previously:Zimbabwe was formerly known as Rhodesia.
for•mer•ly
(fôr′mər lē),USA pronunciation adv.
- in time past;
in an earlier period or age;
previously:a custom formerly observed. - [Obs.]in time just past;
just now.
- former1 + -ly 1580–90
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
formerly /ˈfɔːməlɪ/ adv
'formerly' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
abatement
- Acadia
- ACT
- AD
- Aden
- Admiralty Board
- aedes
- affiliation order
- age
- Ahmednagar
- AIF
- ale
- algae
- Algonquin
- alimony
- almoner
- almuce
- alpenstock
- AM
- amadou
- amah
- Amhara
- amice
- ammoniac
- amortize
- an
- analeptic
- Anglesey
- angostura bark
- angry
- Apache
- apartheid
- apatosaurus
- apothecaries' weight
- Aral Sea
- archpriest
- argot
- Arras
- Aruba
- asafoetida
- asbestos
- ascomycete
- Ashdown
- Asiatic
- asp
- assizes
- ASSR
- asylum
- Athanasian Creed
- attainder