yesterday

[ yes-ter-dey, -dee ]

adverb

1. on the day preceding this day.
2. a short time ago:

   Yesterday your money went further.

noun

1. the day preceding this day.
2. time in the immediate past.

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the day before or to a time in the immediate past:

   yesterday morning.

yesterday

/ ˈjɛstədɪ; -ˌdeɪ /

noun

1. the day immediately preceding today
2. often plural the recent past

adverb

1. on or during the day before today
2. in the recent past

Other Words From

• yester·day·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of yesterday¹

before 950; Middle English; Old English geostran dæg. See yester-, day

Idioms and Phrases

see not born yesterday .

Example Sentences

NEW ORLEANS — John Boehner was reelected House Speaker yesterday by his Republican colleagues despite some dissenting members.

From The Daily Beast

I spent time yesterday listening to the music you made, and looking at the art you created.

From The Daily Beast

Justice League NYC met with the state attorney general and held a press conference yesterday at City Hall.

From The Daily Beast

Mr Anderson Wheeler travelled from Tanzania where he works as a big game hunter to give evidence yesterday.

From The Daily Beast

I played yesterday at lunchtime,” he says, “and after work, and then again this morning, and then today at lunchtime.

From The Daily Beast

He had got his ticket of admission to the Casino, after arriving yesterday evening; but the Rooms had not pleased him then.

From Project Gutenberg

To-day I'm more dead than alive, as we had a lesson from him yesterday that lasted four hours.

From Project Gutenberg

The fleet of the enemy left the place where they last halted, and came in sight day before yesterday in the morning.

From Project Gutenberg

Why have I never heard until the day before yesterday of your suffering yourself to be cooped up in jail?

From Project Gutenberg

The issues of the day before yesterday's battle seem certainly to have hung on a hair.

From Project Gutenberg