yesteryear
noun
yes·ter·year
ˈye-stər-ˌyir 
1
: last year
2
: time gone by
especially
: the recent past
yesteryear
adverb
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Word History of Yesteryear
Mais où sont les neiges d’antan is the refrain of a famous poem by François Villon, translated as “But where are the snows of yesteryear?” The line is understood to express a melancholy nostalgia.
The translation was by the English poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Both the French antan and yesteryear originally simply meant “last year,” but today their meaning has broadened to “time gone by.”
Examples of yesteryear in a Sentence
the simple games of yesteryear that kept children entertained for hours
Recent Examples on the Web
With a legacy spanning more than 50 years, Atari has cornered the retro market, leveraging developers like Digital Eclipse and Nightdive Studios to resurrect classics from yesteryear back on modern platforms.
—
Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 9 June 2026
The moody noir visuals and classic pop arrangements of the Hollywood of yesteryear always spoke to him as a gangly teen growing up in the British seaside city of Portsmouth, Jackson said.
—Peter Larsen, Daily News, 3 June 2026
This came on the same day Anthony Gordon’s $93 million (€80 million) transfer from Newcastle United was announced, as Barça begun a new era of busy buying activity akin to that of pre-pandemic yesteryear.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
These designs have a touch of 2000s style for a nod to our favorite trends of yesteryear, but with a new-age look that’s fresh enough for fashionistas.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for yesteryear
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Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 9 June 2026
The moody noir visuals and classic pop arrangements of the Hollywood of yesteryear always spoke to him as a gangly teen growing up in the British seaside city of Portsmouth, Jackson said.
—Peter Larsen, Daily News, 3 June 2026
This came on the same day Anthony Gordon’s $93 million (€80 million) transfer from Newcastle United was announced, as Barça begun a new era of busy buying activity akin to that of pre-pandemic yesteryear.
—Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
These designs have a touch of 2000s style for a nod to our favorite trends of yesteryear, but with a new-age look that’s fresh enough for fashionistas.
—Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for yesteryear
Cite this Entry
“Yesteryear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yesteryear. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
yesteryear
noun
yes·ter·year
ˈyes-tər-ˌyi(ə)r
1
: last year
2
: the recent past
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