go the way of the dodo
To go extinct or become obsolete or defunct; to fall out of common practice or use; to become a thing of the past.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Typewriters went the way of the dodo.”
“I think cash payments go the way of the dodo in this city.”
“After streaming took over, video rental shops went the way of the dodo within a few years.”
“Many people worry that physical newspapers will go the way of the dodo as more readers switch to getting their daily news from social media apps.”
“The old customs, once fiercely defended by the elders, gradually went the way of the dodo as younger generations embraced modern ways.”
disputed origin
The expression refers to the extinction of *Raphus cucullatus*, a flightless bird endemic to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. It is believed that the species vanished during the 17th century as a direct consequence of human activity, though the exact date of its final disappearance remains a matter of some debate. The idiom draws upon this total erasure from the natural world to describe anything that has become obsolete or ceased to exist.
- 01
a little of something goes a long way
Only a small amount of something is usually required to produce a great effect.
- 02
all dressed up and nowhere to go
Elaborately attired or otherwise fully prepared for an anticipated situation or activity which, nevertheless, fails to occur.
- 03
all systems go
Everything is ready.
- 04
all the way to Egery and back
The long way; a roundabout route; a long distance to travel.
- 05
as you go
While one is doing (something); as one progresses.
- 06
boldly go where no man has gone before
To break new ground.
- 07
by the way
Irrelevantly, off-topic.
- 08
come a long way
To make significant progress.
Last updated August 10, 2026