# meanwhile

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmiːnwaɪl/ · frequency rank #3,114

## Definitions
1. The time between two events.

## Etymology
From Middle English menewhile, equivalent to mean (“intermediate”) + while. Adverb is by ellipsis from in the mean while, noun being conventionally written as one word after the adjective.

## Common misspellings (13)
`emanwhile`, `maenwhile`, `meanhwile`, `meannwhile`, `meanwhhile`, `meanwhiel`, `meanwhille`, `meanwhlie`, `meanwihle`, `meanwwhile`, `meawnhile`, `menawhile`, `mmeanwhile`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/meanwhile