yesterweek

[ yes-ter-week ]

noun

1. last week.

adverb

1. during last week.

Word History and Origins

Origin of yesterweek¹

First recorded in 1830–40; yester- + week

More About Yesterweek

What does yesterweek mean?

Yesterweek means last week—the week before the current one.

It indicates the same thing as yesterday, but for a week instead of a day. Unlike yesterday, though, yesterweek is rarely used. We usually just use the term last week. 

The word week most generally refers to any period of seven consecutive days, but in yesterweek it refers to the seven-day period that begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday. This means that it typically refers to the time in the previous calendar week, not just any time in the previous seven days. Still, it’s rarely used at all.

Example: This all happened yesterweek, but it seems like it was a month ago.

Where does yesterweek come from?

The first records of the word yesterweek come from around the 1830s. The yester- in yesterweek and yesterday indicates a time before the present. It’s also used in the equally rare terms yesternight, yesterevening, yestereve, yestermorning, and yesternoon.

It’s also used in the term yesteryear, which is not common but not nearly as rare as yesterweek and other terms. Yesteryear can mean “last year,” but it perhaps most commonly refers to the past in general, often the somewhat recent past.

Yesterweek may seem useful since it’s a single word, but it’s actually more syllables than saying last week, so it’s unlikely to catch on, even after you tell all your friends about it (but still do that). The week equivalent of tomorrow is next week (or the coming week). To refer to the current week, we say this week.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for yesterweek?

• last week

What are some words that share a root or word element with yesterweek? 

• yesterday
• yesteryear
• yesternight
• yesterevening
• yestereve
• yestermorning
• yesternoon
• midweek
• weekday

What are some words that often get used in discussing yesterweek?

• last
• past
• previous
• preceding
• period

How is yesterweek used in real life?

Yesterweek is very rarely used. We say last week to mean the same thing.

Why doesn’t anyone use “yesteryear” or “yesterweek” anymore? Sounds so much better than “last year “or “last week”

— Muzzamil (@Muzzamil_34) July 1, 2020

but that's old news, that's so yesterweek

— Emily Schaefer (@emilypschaefer) December 21, 2016

I apologize for my angsty paranoia of yesterweek. Been in the doldrums a tidbit. I am ready now to gallivant again and manifest a new Dionysian horizon. Ha.

— Ayy Wu Wei (@RealBigBaby) July 15, 2018

 

Try using yesterweek!

True or False? 

Yesterweek is not a word.