oldie
Americannoun
noun
-
an old person or thing
-
a parent
children and their oldies
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of oldie
Explanation
An oldie is a beloved old song, TV show, or movie. Many radio stations specialize in playing "the golden oldies" — songs like "Poison Ivy" or "Shake Yo' Bootie." As time goes on, more and more highlights of popular culture become oldies — in the 1970s, people listened to oldies from the 50s, but today there are just as many classic radio oldies from the 70s and even 80s. You can also watch oldies on television — old shows in black and white like "Father Knows Best," or with obvious, dated laugh tracks, like "Gilligan's Island."
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.
See Examples For:
The Beatles are another oldie but goldie band nominated.
From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2025
Decide for yourself as you watch a master not so much try to outdo an oldie, but earn a modestly rousing encore.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2024
The PA played an oldie: “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” while the ice crew picked up the hats.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 4, 2023
It's an oldie but a goodie, I guess.
From Salon ● Oct. 13, 2023
Throughout the hard-rocking rendition of the Phil Hanseroth-penned oldie, Carlile vacillated between a raspy growl and clean-and-pristine pitch perfectionist, nailing her wind-down closing notes without accompaniment.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 11, 2022
"We're a bunch of oldies, but everyone gets stressed, everyone suffers loss and gets sad, everyone's happy, everyone has people in their life they love and people who annoy them," Forte said.
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
Morrow, now 89, plays oldies on Saturday nights.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026
His longtime current set list features mostly newish songs and only a handful of oldies, none of which are the very greatest hits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026
Ever since streaming figures were incorporated into the countdown, golden oldies have trampled over contemporary hits every December.
From BBC ● Dec. 6, 2025
Besides the oldies playing low on the radio, there was a buzzing coming from the door every few seconds.
From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds
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.
