# auld lang syne

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/auld-lang-syne
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Days gone by; former times.

## Examples

- We sang a song about auld lang syne at the party.
- Old friends gathered at the pub to share stories and remember auld lang syne.
- As the year drew to a close, they raised their glasses in a quiet toast to auld lang syne and the memories they had built together.

## Origin

From Scots auld lang syne (“old long ago”, literally “old long since”), popularized by the poem “Auld Lang Syne” (1788) by Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns (1759–1796) based on an older song.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.