olden
From long ago
Olden means belonging to a time long past, appearing almost exclusively in the phrase olden days or olden times.
The word is deliberately archaic-sounding, often used nostalgically or when speaking to children: In the olden days, people wrote letters by hand.
Outside these set phrases, olden sounds quaint or affected.
Existing from the start
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
- primevalFrom earliest times
- antediluvianExtremely old or obsolete
- paleolithicEarliest tool-making period
neolithic · megalithic · classical · biblical · mythical · ancestral · aboriginal · timeless
Time not long past
- reminiscenceRecalling past experiences
- memoriesStored past experiences
- sentimentalExcessively emotional about memories
- wistfulSadly longing for something
longing · yearning · halcyon · recollection · bygone · melancholy · bittersweet · reverie
Evoking recent past
- classicOf lasting excellence
- antiqueOld valued collectible
- collectibleObject worth amassing
- heirloomInherited family treasure
patina · victorian · mid-century · period · estate · timeworn · aged · weathered
Of the Middle Ages
- feudalOf tiered landownership
- renaissancePeriod of renewed vitality
- dynastySuccessive family rulers
- empireDomain under unified control
chronicle · monarchy · civilization · heritage · artifact · archaeology · manuscript · annals
No longer in fashion
- datedOld-fashioned or courted
- antiquatedOld and outdated
- out-of-dateNo longer valid
- passeNo longer fashionable
superannuated · moth-eaten · musty · dusty · fusty · quaint · anachronistic · defunct
primordial
Existing from the start
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
- primevalFrom earliest times
- antediluvianExtremely old or obsolete
paleolithic · neolithic · megalithic · classical · biblical · mythical · ancestral · aboriginal · timeless · archaic
yesteryear
Time not long past
- reminiscenceRecalling past experiences
- memoriesStored past experiences
- sentimentalExcessively emotional about memories
wistful · longing · yearning · halcyon · recollection · bygone · melancholy · bittersweet · reverie · sepia-toned
retro
Evoking recent past
- classicOf lasting excellence
- antiqueOld valued collectible
- collectibleObject worth amassing
heirloom · patina · victorian · mid-century · period · estate · timeworn · aged · weathered · rustic
medieval
Of the Middle Ages
- feudalOf tiered landownership
- renaissancePeriod of renewed vitality
- dynastySuccessive family rulers
empire · chronicle · monarchy · civilization · heritage · artifact · archaeology · manuscript · annals · saga
outmoded
No longer in fashion
- datedOld-fashioned or courted
- antiquatedOld and outdated
- out-of-dateNo longer valid
passe · superannuated · moth-eaten · musty · dusty · fusty · quaint · anachronistic · defunct · disused
- old ageAdvanced years of life
- old manElderly male person
- old friendLong-established companion
- older brotherMale sibling born earlier
- older sisterFemale sibling born earlier
- old newsOutdated information