The spelling of the phrase "most whilom" may be confusing to some readers. The term "most" is a straightforward word referring to the highest degree, while "whilom" is an archaic term signifying "formerly" or "once upon a time." The tricky part comes in the pronunciation, which can be explained using IPA phonetics as /moʊst ˈwaɪləm/. The emphasis is on the first syllable of "whilom," with a long "i" sound and a schwa sound at the end. With this in mind, readers can confidently approach this phrase with a clear understanding of its meaning and pronunciation.
The phrase "most whilom" consists of two words: "most" and "whilom".
The word "most" derives from the Old English word "māst", which means "greatest" or "utmost". It further evolved from the Proto-Germanic word *maistaz, which shares the same meaning.
The word "whilom" also comes from Old English, where it was spelled as "hwīlum". It originates from the Proto-Germanic word *hwīlum, meaning "at times" or "once". "Hwīlum" is a dative plural form of "hwīl", which translates to "a while" or "a space of time".
When the two words are combined, "most whilom" conveys the sense of "formerly" or "in the past".