nostalgia
Americannoun
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a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time.
a nostalgia for his college days.
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something that elicits or displays nostalgia.
noun
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a yearning for the return of past circumstances, events, etc
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the evocation of this emotion, as in a book, film, etc
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longing for home or family; homesickness
Other Word Forms
- nostalgic adjective
Etymology
Origin of nostalgia
First recorded in 1770–80; from New Latin, from Greek nóst(os) “a return home” + -algia -algia
Explanation
Think of the noun nostalgia when you long for the good old days of the past. The noun nostalgia was invented by a Swiss doctor in the late 1600s. He put together the Greek nostos "homecoming" and algos "pain, distress" as a literal translation of the German Heimweh "homesickness." Originally, it was a medical diagnosis for mercenary soldiers. Today, it describes a bittersweet longing for the past. Think of the dreamy way your grandpa tells stories of his childhood — he's got nostalgia.
Vocabulary lists containing nostalgia
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 3
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ACT Vocabulary List
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The Alchemist
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Other brands riding the nostalgia wave are Gap and Levi Strauss, whose boot-cut jeans are worn in the show by actress Sarah Pidgeon, who plays Bessette.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
Sunak’s essay pairs hawkish foreign policy analysis with patriotic nostalgia for how the Royal Navy used to maintain Britain’s position as a “global hegemon.”
From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026
Jordan Clarke, the founder of Footballerfits, an Instagram platform that explores the link between behind football and fashion culture, says it is not just football fans that are obsessed with nostalgia.
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
For Sohni Kaur, who researched the subject while pursuing psychology and media studies at Scripps College, it comes down to good old nostalgia.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
If only he had been capable of more than nostalgia!
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
