old-timey

American  

[ohld-tahy-mee] / ˈoʊldˈtaɪ mi /

adjective

Informal.

1. belonging to or characteristic of former times, usually eliciting a sentimental yearning for the past; old-time.

   an inn with charming, old-timey details.

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Etymology

Origin of old-timey

First recorded in 1850–55; old-time ( def. ) + -y ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

And when I was there, there was someone dressed in old-timey garb playing a banjo.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026

“Crank” is often adopted by modern writers as a colorful old-timey word.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

You hear the music of “Auld Lang Syne” on an old-timey organ, while John dons a Scottish accent and spins a tale about beasties while a wind sound effect blows in the background.

From Salon • Dec. 23, 2025

“Quiet on the set” didn’t apply to the sound of the camera’s old-timey chatter—when it was working.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

He walks toward me smiling and holding a framed painting of an old-timey clown on a unicycle.

From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez