form·er¹ / ˈfôrmər/ • adj. 1. having previously filled a particular role or been a particular thing: her former boyfriend. ∎  of or occurring in the past or an earlier period: in former times.2. (the former) denoting the first or first mentioned of two people or things: those who take the former view | [as n.] the powers of the former are more comprehensive than those of the latter. form·er² • n. 1. a person or thing that forms something: [in comb.] an opinion-former. ∎  a transverse strengthening part in an aircraft wing or fuselage.2. [in comb.] chiefly Brit. a person in a particular school year: fifth-formers.

former earlier in time XII; †first, primeval XIII; †more forward XIV; first of two XVI. f. ME. forme (OE. forma; see FOREMOST) + -ER3.
Hence formerly †just now; †beforehand; in former days XVI.