# olden

/ˈoʊɫdən/ (US) · /ˈəʊldən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/olden
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. relating to a past era

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

belonging to a time long ago in history.

For teachers: relating to or characteristic of a previous era; almost exclusively used in the attributive position within the set phrase 'olden days'.

- In the olden days, people used to write letters by hand instead of sending emails.
- The storyteller spoke of the olden days when dragons were said to roam the mountains and magic was a part of everyday life.

Usage: Usually occurs as part of the fixed expression 'olden days'.

Teaching tip: This word is rarely used in modern speech or formal writing except to create a nostalgic or fairy-tale tone; students should use 'ancient' or 'past' for general contexts.

## Examples

- He often talks about the olden days when life was simpler.
- The museum's collection includes artifacts from the olden times, showing how people lived before modern technology.
- The poet's verses frequently reference the olden days, using the past as a lens to critique the rapid industrialization of his contemporary era.

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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.