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old-timer

old-timer

39 5.2
A person who has done something for a long time and is respected for their experience
  • noun
  • /ˈoʊldˌtaɪmər/
translation icon : veterano
  • Many new players sought advice from the old-timers who had been in the game for decades.
  • many old-timers

You know these are old timers in their professions, right?

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Examples

  • The old-timers would boil these and make paint for their horses.

  • Dan was one of the old-timers, someone who had been around for a long time.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Of course, it's this old-timer we got to worry about.

  • You made us old-timers look real good last night.

  • I was beginning to feel like an old-timer now, what with the new kids next door.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • But within a few short years, the old-timers will all be gone.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Many of the houses are occupied by old-timers who are the last of their family on the island.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Within a short time, the old-timers had extinguished the fire and saved the secret formulas.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • "Well, at least we old-timers will be famous and revered for our literary inventions."

    Fiction book (2000)
  • The old-timer shared valuable lessons about working in the community.

Synonyms

veteran
vsold-timer
184 3.8

A person with long experience in a job or activity

is used for long involvement within a community and its respect
warhorse
vsold-timer
4 7.0

A person with many years of experience in a job or field

is used for respected long-term members beyond mere service length
old warhorse
vsold-timer
  • Informal
1 6.9

An experienced reliable person who has worked in a job for a long time

highlights respected long involvement rather than only dependability
oldtimer
vsold-timer
1 5.1

A person who has done a job or activity for many years and knows it well

is valued for long involvement and respected for accumulated experience
old hand
vsold-timer
1 3.7

A person with a lot of experience in a job or activity

is known for long involvement and the social respect that follows
old stager
vsold-timer
  • UK
8.1

A person who has a lot of experience in a job or activity

is about long membership and being respected for that lasting presence
stager
vsold-timer
  • Archaic
7.8

A person who has done a job for many years and knows it well

focuses on steady community presence and the respect that brings

Antonyms

123 1.6

A person who has recently arrived in a place, joined a group, or started an activity

46 3.4

A person new to an activity who has little experience

How Experienced

veteran
153 4.1
stalwart
8 7.1
old-timer
39 5.2
regular
111 2.8
newcomer
123 1.6

Surface Forms

old-timer singular
old-timers plural

Morphology

old-timer = old + timer (semi-transparent) = old + timer

The components 'old' + 'timer' are recognizable, but 'timer' here does not primarily mean a timing device and the sense 'long-standing person' is only partly predictable.

Etymology

The word old-timer comes from old and timer, with time meaning 'a long time', and it is like long-timer, a person who has been around a long time. That's why an old-timer is often respected for their experience.