sometime
UK: ˈsʌmtaɪm | US: ˈsʌmtaɪm
adv. at an unspecified or indefinite time in the future or past
adj. former; occasional
The word "sometime" combines the Old English morpheme "some," derived from Proto-Germanic *sumaz (meaning "a certain one" or "indefinite quantity"), with "time," from Old English "tīma" (referring to a period or measure of duration). The fusion reflects a logical progression from concrete temporal measurement ("time") to an indefinite or unspecified moment ("some"). Initially used adverbially (e.g., "at some time"), it later acquired an adjectival sense ("former") in Middle English, often denoting occasional or past status (e.g., "a sometime colleague").
Let’s meet for coffee sometime next week.
She was a sometime contributor to the magazine.
I’ll finish the project sometime before the deadline.
He visited his hometown sometime last year.
The actor, a sometime musician, released an album in 2010.