Dictionary

olden en · ADJ · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈoʊldn̩/ (General-American)
• /ˈoʊldən/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈəʊl.dən/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈəʊl.dn̩/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English olden, probably originally an inflected plural form of old (compare Old English ealdum, dative plural of eald (“old”)), but later reanalysed as equivalent to old + -en (“made of”). Otherwise derived from Old Norse aldinn (“ancient, old”).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) From or relating to a previous era.
   • olden days, olden times
   • "You are right to some extent in what you say. In the olden days people had a stronger belief in all kinds of witchery; now they pretend not to believe in it, that they may be looked upon as sensible and educated people, as you say." 1886, Peter Christen Asbjø￵rnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 156:
   • In olden days, a glimpse of stockings Was looked on as something shocking; Now, heaven knows, Anything goes. 1934, Cole Porter, “Anything Goes”:
2. (archaic, not-comparable) Old; ancient.
   • We […] told over the story of past sufferings, and renewed olden vows of devotion. 1857, Martha Griffith Browne, Autobiography of a Female Slave, page 347:
   • Beowulf, behind his shield, thrust forth only his right arm. In it he had picked up the sword of Ing, well known in olden lore. 1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 44:

Deriveds

olden time

Synonyms

historical · eldern · auld (old, ancient) · bygone (relating to a previous era)

olden en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈoʊldn̩/ (General-American)
• /ˈoʊldən/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈəʊl.dən/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈəʊl.dn̩/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From old + -en (“to make (adjective)”).

Meanings

1. (dated, intransitive, rare) To grow old; age; assume an older appearance or character; become affected by age.
   • Of all Sedley's opponents in his debates with his creditors which now ensued, and harassed the feelings of the humiliated old gentleman so severely, that in six weeks he oldened more than he had done for fifteen years before—the most determined and obstinate seemed to be John Osborne, his old friend and neighbour […] 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:
   • They were not worldly days; and so, as we olden with our passage through the world, they stay young, and we love them as pure youthful things are loved. 1912, John Ayscough, Saints and Places, page 123:

Forms

Antonyms

youngen

Relateds

eld

Synonyms

elden · mature