meantime
/ˈmiːntaɪm/ noun, adverb
Forms meantimes mean time
- noun The time spent waiting for another event; time in between. “We'll come back asap; just wait here for the meantime.”
- adverb During the interval; meanwhile. “Repairs will be done tomorrow so meantime restrain from using the bath.”
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English menetime, equivalent to mean + time. Adverb is by ellipsis from in the meantime.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The intervening time; as, in the meantime (or mean time).
- adverb In the intervening time; during the interval.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “meantime”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details