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bygone

bygone

16 8.0
From an earlier time that is now past
  • adjective
  • /ˈbaɪˌɡɔn/
translation icon : pasado
  • A dagger from a bygone age has been found.
  • bygone era
  • bygone age
  • bygone days

Smart Ploy tug at our heartstrings by making us nostalgic for the bygone pastime of traveling anywhere.

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Examples

  • Evocative and poignant pictures of a bygone era: the faces were gaunt and haunting.

    Blog text (34)
  • The town speaks softly of a bygone era when it was the populous capital of a 12th-century dynasty.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Then pin it on for bygone days.

  • And wars were only memories of long bygone times.

  • Well, they thought that it was some creature left over from a bygone age.

  • But let's in the words of the paper boys from bygone era, let's read all about it.

  • She lives there alone with the ghosts of bygone days.

  • To see them gather around the player piano and sing songs of bygone years was a priceless experience.

    Academic text (1997)
  • For mainland Chinese audiences nostalgic for a bygone era, Teng's revival songs tapped into those feelings.

    Academic text (2016)
  • The photos from our trip show many bygone traditions that are no longer practiced today.

Synonyms

olden
vsbygone
  • Archaic
16 9.6

From a time long ago when life was different

is more general earlier time not always very distant or poetic
erstwhile
vsbygone
  • Formal
9 8.4

From an earlier time and not happening now

is similar but emphasizes former status rather than exact time
long-ago
vsbygone
8 4.8

From a time very long ago

is broader, applying to earlier times not necessarily very distant
foregone
vsbygone
1 5.8

From an earlier time

is the same idea expressed with different wording
departed
vsbygone
  • Literature
6.7

From a time long ago

is general earlier time not always very long ago
whilom
vsbygone
  • Archaic
9.9

From earlier times and no longer used to talk about people or things

is the common modern word for the same older meaning

Antonyms

1.0

Happening now at this time

1.4

Relating to the present time and new ways of doing things

Compounds

An old object that reminds people of an earlier time

How Distant

prehistoric
47 5.2
ancient
3.4
bygone
16 8.0
former
1.0
past
1.0
recent
1.0

Surface Forms

bygone positive

Morphology

bygone = gone (semi-transparent) = by + gone

The components 'by' and 'gone' are recognizable and together signal pastness, but the use of 'by' to mark past time is somewhat archaic and not a productive modern word-formation pattern for learners. [Postprocessing: moved 'by' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Bygone is really just by + gone, like the short phrase 'gone by'. So, it describes something 'from the past' or belonging to an earlier time.