olden

[ ohl-duhn ]

/ ˈoʊl dən /

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See synonyms for olden on Thesaurus.com

adjective Literary.

of or relating to the distant past or bygone times; ancient.

old.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of olden

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at old, -en²

Words nearby olden

Old Danish, Old Dart, Old Delhi, Old Dominion, Old Dutch, olden, Oldenbarneveldt, Oldenburg, Old English, Old English pattern, Old English sheepdog

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use olden in a sentence

Theodoric, the King of the Goths in Italy, even went on to rekindle a part of the olden Roman legacy in the fields of legal administration and architecture, with the cultural revival centered in the city of Ravenna.
Goths: Germanic Warriors Who Exposed The Roman Empire|Dattatreya Mandal|September 4, 2022|Realm of History
Few filmmakers are as in love with olden times as Wes Anderson is.
With The French Dispatch, Wes Anderson Overindulges on Whimsy—But His Heart Is in the Right Place|Stephanie Zacharek|October 22, 2021|Time
We, in olden days, had towering kooks and colossal villains.
Election Day Is Scarier Than Halloween|P. J. O’Rourke|November 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For those of you who are not old enough to remember, a watch was a device for telling time back in olden days, before smartphones.
10 Terrible Gift Ideas for Graduates From Dilbert Creator Scott Adams|Scott Adams|May 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Of course, in the olden days, we knew what to think of Americans who quoted extensively from Pravda - right, Comrade Beck?
It's Official: The Blaze and Pravda Agree on Obama!|David Frum|November 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST
I signed up to write my sixth book back in the olden days of 2005.
Why My Next E-Book Will Be About Iraq|David Frum|May 19, 2012|DAILY BEAST
In olden days and on the old continent, criticizing the monarch might limit your life chances.
In Praise of Joe Wilson|Alex Massie|September 10, 2009|DAILY BEAST
It is curious that dancing is not mentioned, but dancing in the olden days in Ireland was not, I believe, much indulged in.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland|Joseph Tatlow
I think these extracts are sufficient to give a portraiture of the place in olden times.
The Portsmouth Road and Its Tributaries|Charles G. Harper
Enough of the massive walls is left to convey a vivid idea of the olden grandeur of the castle.
British Highways And Byways From A Motor Car|Thomas D. Murphy
Sometimes land is rented on shares, a very common way in the olden time.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman|Albert Sidney Bolles
A beautiful picture now comes to my mind—a picture of an ideal mother of olden time.
The value of a praying mother|Isabel C. Byrum

British Dictionary definitions for olden

olden

/ (ˈəʊldən) /

adjective

an archaic or poetic word for old in olden days; in olden times

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

olden

Origin of olden

Words nearby olden

Words related to olden

How to use olden in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for olden