Word
Definitions
01longing for the past
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. feeling happy and a bit sad when you think about things that happened in the past.
adj. exhibiting a sentimental or wistful yearning for the happiness felt in a former place, time, or situation.
“Seeing his old school photos made him feel nostalgic for his childhood.”
“The director's latest film is a nostalgic tribute to the golden age of cinema, filled with references that only dedicated cinephiles would recognise.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02a person who longs for the past
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. someone who often thinks about and misses the past.
n. a person who displays or is prone to nostalgia. Often used in political or cultural contexts to describe those who prefer traditional ways.
“The nostalgics in the group argued that the old town square was better before the modern shops arrived.”
“While some critics dismissed the movement as the work of mere nostalgics, others saw it as a necessary preservation of cultural heritage.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“It was something nostalgic that I used to do, and then got back into it with my son… You have sons, daughters, mums, everyone - and they can do it together," Glen said.” “Now that the garden is closed off to the street with a heavy door and a wall, I do not have a nostalgic longing to unlock its new mystery.” Etymology
From nostalgia + -ic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/nostalgic
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0