# yesteryear

/ˈjɛstɝˌjɪɹ/ (US) · /jˈɛstəjˌiə/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/yesteryear
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

time long ago in the past, often remembered as better or simpler. You use it when you talk about the old days with warm feelings.

For teachers: the distant or recent past, especially as remembered with nostalgia or contrasted with the present.

## Examples

- People miss the music of yesteryear.
- The museum displays cars of yesteryear alongside modern electric models.
- She collects letters of yesteryear, finding in their faded ink a slower world where people wrote with care.

## Usage notes

- Commonly appears in the phrase 'of yesteryear' after a noun.

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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.