Dictionary

once upon a time en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈwʌns.əˈpɑn.əˈtaɪ̯m/

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) A long time ago; at some time in the past (a traditional beginning of children's stories, especially fairy tales).
   • Once upon a time, there was a Goblin Queen And she lived in a grand palace... 2023, A. C. MacDonald, Twistwood Tales (comic), Andrews McMeel, →ISBN, page 138:
   • Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a beautiful princess.
   • There was once upon a time a charcoal-burner who had a son, and he was also a charcoal-burner. 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 308:
2. (not-comparable) Formerly.
   • Long before popular music evolved its many genres and subgenres, the industry was driven by a simple one-size-fits-all philosophy […] Songwriters, once upon a time, wrote songs for the masses. 2012, Christoper Zara, chapter 2, in Tortured Artists: From Picasso and Monroe to Warhol and Winehouse, the Twisted Secrets of the World's Most Creative Minds, page 51:

Synonyms

anciently (a long time ago) · way back

Translations (140)

ja 今は昔 (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · km កាលពីព្រេងនាយ (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · pl dawno, dawno temu (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · et oli kord (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · et ükskord (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ko 옛날 옛적에 (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ang ġēara (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ia olim (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · es era una vez (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · eu bazen behin (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · fi olipa kerran (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ast yera una vez (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ja 昔々 (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · tl noong unang panahon (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · az biri var idi, biri yox idi (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ang ġēardagum (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · wo amone nafi (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · az günlərin bir günündə (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · sa पुराकाले (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · kmr hebû tune bû (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · jam one time (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · hu egyszer volt, hol nem volt (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · pt era uma vez (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ast eso yera (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · nl er was eens (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · sq na ishte njëherë (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ro a fost odată (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ast una vez yera (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · es érase una vez (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · is einu sinni var (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · de es war einmal (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · bn একদা (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ta முன்னொரு காலத்தில் (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ms pada suatu hari (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · it c'era una volta (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · uk давни́м-давно́ (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · vi ngày xửa ngày xưa (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · mi tērā ētahi (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · hy լինում է, չի լինում (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ceb kaniadtong panahona (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · tr günlerden bir gün (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · kpv оліс-выліс (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · tr bir varmış, bir yokmuş (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · nn det var ein gong (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · cmn 很久很久以前 (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ro a fost odată ca niciodată (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · kmr hebû nebû (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · br ur wech e oa (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · fa-ira روزی اَز روزْها (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ja 昔昔 (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · nb det var en gang (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · fr il y avait une fois (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ckb ھەبوو نەبوو (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ast una vez (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · da der var engang (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ru давны́м-давно́ (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ml ഒരിക്കൽ (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · el μια φορά κι έναν καιρό (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · et üks kord ennemuistsel ajal (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · pl za górami, za lasami (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · fi olipa kerran kauan sitten (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ur کِسی زَمانے میں (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · sa कदाचित् (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · gl había unha vez (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · la ōlim (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · he הָיֹה הָיָה (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · fa-ira روزی روزِگاری (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · grc οὕτω ποτ’ ἦν μῦς καὶ γαλῆ (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · lv reiz sensenos laikos (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · te అనగనగా (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · sc B'aiat una borta (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · gd bha siud ann uaireigin (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · km កាលដើមឡើយ (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · fa-ira یِکی بود یِکی نَبود (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ast ello foi una vez (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · srn er tin tin (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ca hi havia una vegada (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ary حاجيتك ما جيتك (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ga tráth dá raibh (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · yi אַ מאָל (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ang ġefyrn (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ga fadó fadó (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · eo iam estis (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · et elas kord (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · id pada suatu hari (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · cmn 從前 /从前 (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ru в тридевя́том ца́рстве, в тридеся́том госуда́рстве (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · bg и́мало едно́ вре́ме (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · cy unwaith (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ast ello foi una vegada (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · arq جيتك ما جيتك (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ms pada suatu masa (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · grc ἦν γάρ ποτε χρόνος (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · id pada zaman dahulu (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ca això era una vegada (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · abe agwa (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · tpi bipo tru (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ta முன்னொரு காலத்துல (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · is það var einu sinni (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · hi किसी ज़माने में (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ga lá den saol (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · sw hapo zamani za kale (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ar كَان يَامَا كَان (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · gl cando os animais falaban (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ckb ڕۆژێ لە ڕۆژان (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · hu hol volt, hol nem volt (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · pdt donnemol (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · sv det var en gång (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ml പണ്ടൊരിക്കൽ (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · eu behin batean (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · kmr carekê ji caran (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · fo einaferð var tað (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · te ఒకానొకప్పుడు (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · fr il était une fois (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · lt seniai, labai seniai (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ko 옛날 옛적 (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ga feacht n-aon (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · kmr rojek ji rojan (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · mi tērā tētahi (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ia il era un vice (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · pt havia uma vez (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · pl pewnego razu (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · amf ɛ́na waɗénka (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · el μια φορά ήταν δεν ήταν (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · uk жи́ли-були́ (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ig orue otu mgbe (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · hy կար-չկար (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ang ǣr (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ka იყო და არა იყო რა, ღვთის უკეთესი რა იქნებოდა (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ka იყო და არა იყო რა (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · th กาลครั้งหนึ่ง (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ast esto yera (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ba борон-борон заманда (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · cs bylo nebylo (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · si එකෝමත් එක කාලෙක (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ang fyrn (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · unm kwëtën (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · es había una vez (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · io olim (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales) · ru жи́ли-бы́ли (traditional beginning of children’s stories, especially fairy tales)