bygone

[bahy-gawn, -gon]

adjective

1. past; gone by; earlier; former.

   The faded photograph brought memories of bygone days.

noun

1. Usually bygones. that which is past.

   Let's not talk of bygones.

bygone

/ ˈbaɪˌɡɒn /

adjective

1. (usually prenominal) past; former

noun

1. (often plural) a past occurrence

2. (often plural) an artefact, implement, etc, of former domestic or industrial use, now often collected for interest

3. to agree to forget past quarrels

Word History and Origins

Origin of bygone¹

1375–1425; late Middle English (north) by-gane; gone, by

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. let bygones be bygones, to decide to forget past disagreements; become reconciled.

   Let's let bygones be bygones and be friends again.

Example Sentences

Moments later, the footage jumps to passengers brawling in terminals and shouting at flight attendants before Duffy appears on screen urging travelers to bring bygone civility back to air travel.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But they don’t have to be Republicans of bygone eras, either.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The execution is nevertheless lush, sometimes startlingly beautiful, and painterly and evocative of Johnson’s elegiac theme about a bygone America.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"I'm not in Green Bay anymore. I feel like we can let bygones be bygones. Maybe. I can. I guess."

Read more on Barron's

The Fed’s bloated balance sheet, designed to support the biggest firms in a bygone crisis era, can be reduced significantly.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal