Word
oldie
US/ˈoʊɫdi/
UK/ˈəʊldi/
Countable noun
Definition
n. an old song, film, or other favourite thing from the past that people still enjoy. You use it in a warm, joking way, often about music.
n. an old and still well-liked song, film, or object from an earlier period, especially a popular hit from past decades. Extended affectionately to an elderly person.
Examples
“They play a sweet oldie on the radio.”
“The DJ plays an oldie from the 1970s and everyone sings along.”
“The set closed with an oldie that had outlived its era, its simple melody carrying more warmth than the polished new releases.”
Examples
simple
“They play a sweet oldie on the radio.”
contextual
“The DJ plays an oldie from the 1970s and everyone sings along.”
complex
“The set closed with an oldie that had outlived its era, its simple melody carrying more warmth than the polished new releases.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “oldie” in context.
Verb
01. dance to oldie
“The whole crowd got up to dance to an oldie.”
verb + prep + noun
02. listen to oldie
“I love to listen to an oldie while I am cooking dinner.”
verb + prep + noun
03. love oldie
“My dad loves an oldie he can sing along to in the car.”
verb + noun
04. oldie comes on
“Everyone cheered when an oldie came on at the wedding.”
noun + verb + prep
Adjective
05. cheesy oldie
“We laughed and sang along to a cheesy oldie on the radio.”
adj + noun
06. classic oldie
“They played a classic oldie that everyone knew the words to.”
adj + noun
07. favourite oldie
“She requested her favourite oldie for her birthday party.”
adj + noun
08. golden oldie
“The DJ finished the night with a golden oldie from the sixties.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. oldie collection
“My uncle has a huge oldie collection on vinyl.”
noun + noun
10. oldie night
“The local pub holds an oldie night every Thursday.”
noun + noun
11. an oldie but a goodie
“This next track is an oldie but a goodie from 1978.”
12. dust off an oldie
“The band dusted off an oldie for their anniversary concert.”
Etymology
From old + -ie.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/oldie