(adj) belonging to some prior time, Syn. former, sometime, quondam, onetime, old, one-time, Example:erstwhile friend; our former glory; the once capital of the state; her quondam lover
[まえ, mae] (n-pref) (1) (See 前・まえ) the last (i.e. immediately preceding) (e.g. "the last mayor"); previous; one-time; former; (2) (before the name of an era) pre- (e.g. "premodern"); (adj-no, n) (3) before; earlier; (P)#147