Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

auld lang syne

play
noun \ˌōl(d)-ˌ(l)aŋ-ˈzīn, ˌȯl(d)-\

Definition of auld lang syne

  1. :  the good old times

See auld lang syne defined for English-language learners

See auld lang syne defined for kids

People Are Reading

just-three-bros-drinking-scotch-having-a-toast
7 Words We Get from Robert Burns
decimate-video
Is it wrong to use 'decimate' to mean 'destroy'?
image599301899
Pretty in 'Pink'
istock-refers-to-this-as-a-tumble-of-strawberries-which-sounded-pretty-nice-to-us
June 2017 Words of the Day Quiz

Examples of auld lang syne in a Sentence

  1. They drank a toast to auld lang syne.

  2. let us bid farewell to auld lang syne and welcome in the new year

Origin and Etymology of auld lang syne

Scots, literally, old long ago


First Known Use: 1720

auld lang syne Synonyms

Synonyms
past, history, yesterday, yesteryear, yore
Related Words
bygone; flashback; annals, chronicle, record; memoir; antiquity, long ago
Near Antonyms
by-and-by, future, futurity, hereafter, offing, tomorrow; moment, now, present, today

AULD LANG SYNE Defined for English Language Learners

auld lang syne

play
noun

Definition of auld lang syne for English Language Learners

  • : the good old times

Learn More about auld lang syne

  1. See words that rhyme with auld lang syne Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for auld lang syne

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up auld lang syne? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

threshold

play

the point at which something begins

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. surrogate mother From TMZ to the dictionary.

  2. zealot A fanatical partisan

  3. stonewall to be uncooperative, obstructive, or evasive

  4. scurrilous Containing obscenities, abuse, or slander

  5. depose That word might not mean what you think it means.

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

auld lang syne

WORD GAMES

Take a 3-minute break and test your skills!

  • istock-refers-to-this-as-a-tumble-of-strawberries-which-sounded-pretty-nice-to-us
  • Which is a synonym of garner?
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-594d2b6325245
'Pride': The Word That Went From Vice to Strength

Do you take pride in Pride?

image599301899
Pink: The Color that Will Change Your Life

From Fuchsia to Baker-Miller Pink

image2144101468
That Sucks Word Alternatives

Your day is the worst. Your vocabulary is the best.

alt-5931949575ca5
'All the Feels,' All the Time

Once more, with 'feels'

Ask the Editors

decimate-video
Is it wrong to use 'decimate' to mean 'destroy'?

Language changes

serial-comma
The Serial Comma

Why don't they call it the Merriam-Webster comma?

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

istock-refers-to-this-as-a-tumble-of-strawberries-which-sounded-pretty-nice-to-us
June 2017 Words of the Day Quiz

Summer's first WOTD quiz.

Take the quiz
alt-5941ad7527c3c
Yearbook Superlatives Quiz

Is that your picture under "Largest Vocabulary"?

Take the quiz
Name That Thing
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Take the quiz
SCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® Sprint

SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!

Play the game
Examples: auld lang syne in a Sentence