This is the 12586th most frequent German word.
weiland
"Weiland" means "deceased" or "former" and is an archaic term in German.
The term "weiland" is used here to denote a bygone time, serving as an archaism for introducing past scenarios.
Weiland war diese Stadt bekannt für ihre großen Märkte.
In former times, this city was known for its large markets.
Here, "weiland" serves as a temporal descriptor to attribute a prior role or title to an individual.
Der Sultan, weiland Herrscher dieses Landes, war bekannt für seine Weisheit.
The sultan, once the ruler of this country, was known for his wisdom.
In this usage, "weiland" attributes a historical characteristic to a location or item, often with a sense of nostalgia or historical note.