"olden" meaning in English

See olden in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈəʊl.dn̩/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈəʊl.dən/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈoʊldn̩/ [General-American], /ˈoʊldən/ [General-American] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-olden.wav
Rhymes: -əʊldən Etymology: From Middle English olden, probably originally an inflected plural form of old (compare Old English ealdum, dative plural of eald (“old”)), but later reanalysed as equivalent to old + -en (“made of”). Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|olden}} Middle English olden, {{noncog|ang|ealdum}} Old English ealdum, {{suffix|en|old|en|id2=made of|t2=made of}} old + -en (“made of”) Head templates: {{en-adj|-}} olden (not comparable)
  1. From or relating to a previous era. Tags: not-comparable Synonyms (relating to a previous era): bygone
    Sense id: en-olden-en-adj-YFXXChCA Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -en (inchoative) Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 41 17 42 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -en (inchoative): 24 41 35 Disambiguation of 'relating to a previous era': 92 8
  2. (archaic) Old; ancient. Tags: archaic, not-comparable Synonyms (old, ancient): auld
    Sense id: en-olden-en-adj-mXvIZfi1 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms containing fossilized case endings, English terms suffixed with -en (inchoative), English terms suffixed with -en (made of), Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 41 17 42 Disambiguation of English terms containing fossilized case endings: 23 48 29 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -en (inchoative): 24 41 35 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -en (made of): 32 68 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 19 53 28 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 19 53 28 Disambiguation of 'old, ancient': 2 98
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: historical, past, eldern, old Derived forms: olden time
Etymology number: 1

Verb

IPA: /ˈəʊl.dn̩/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈəʊl.dən/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈoʊldn̩/ [General-American], /ˈoʊldən/ [General-American] Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-olden.wav Forms: oldens [present, singular, third-person], oldening [participle, present], oldened [participle, past], oldened [past]
Rhymes: -əʊldən Etymology: From old + -en (“to make (adjective)”). Etymology templates: {{suf|en|old|en|id2=inchoative|t2=to make (adjective)}} old + -en (“to make (adjective)”) Head templates: {{en-verb}} olden (third-person singular simple present oldens, present participle oldening, simple past and past participle oldened)
  1. (intransitive, old-fashioned or rare) To grow old; age; assume an older appearance or character; become affected by age. Tags: dated, intransitive, rare Synonyms: elden, mature, to age Related terms: eld
    Sense id: en-olden-en-verb-qseqE~pl Categories (other): English adjectives ending in -en, English entries with incorrect language header, English terms suffixed with -en (inchoative) Disambiguation of English adjectives ending in -en: 27 26 47 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 41 17 42 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -en (inchoative): 24 41 35
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 2

Inflected forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "olden time"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "olden"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English olden",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ang",
        "2": "ealdum"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English ealdum",
      "name": "noncog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "old",
        "3": "en",
        "id2": "made of",
        "t2": "made of"
      },
      "expansion": "old + -en (“made of”)",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English olden, probably originally an inflected plural form of old (compare Old English ealdum, dative plural of eald (“old”)), but later reanalysed as equivalent to old + -en (“made of”).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "olden (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "41 17 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 41 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -en (inchoative)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "olden days, olden times"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 156:",
          "text": "\"You are right to some extent in what you say. In the olden days people had a stronger belief in all kinds of witchery; now they pretend not to believe in it, that they may be looked upon as sensible and educated people, as you say.\"",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1934, Cole Porter (lyrics and music), “Anything Goes”:",
          "text": "In olden days, a glimpse of stockings\n Was looked on as something shocking;\n Now, heaven knows,\n Anything goes.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "From or relating to a previous era."
      ],
      "id": "en-olden-en-adj-YFXXChCA",
      "links": [
        [
          "previous",
          "previous"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "92 8",
          "sense": "relating to a previous era",
          "word": "bygone"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "41 17 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "23 48 29",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms containing fossilized case endings",
          "parents": [
            "Terms containing fossilized case endings",
            "Terms by etymology"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 41 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -en (inchoative)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "32 68",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -en (made of)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 53 28",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 53 28",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1857, Martha Griffith Browne, Autobiography of a Female Slave, page 347:",
          "text": "We […] told over the story of past sufferings, and renewed olden vows of devotion.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Old; ancient."
      ],
      "id": "en-olden-en-adj-mXvIZfi1",
      "links": [
        [
          "Old",
          "old"
        ],
        [
          "ancient",
          "ancient"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(archaic) Old; ancient."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "2 98",
          "sense": "old, ancient",
          "word": "auld"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic",
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈəʊl.dn̩/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈəʊl.dən/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-olden.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/31/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/31/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈoʊldn̩/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈoʊldən/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-əʊldən"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "historical"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "past"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "eldern"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0",
      "word": "old"
    }
  ],
  "word": "olden"
}

{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "word": "youngen"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "old",
        "3": "en",
        "id2": "inchoative",
        "t2": "to make (adjective)"
      },
      "expansion": "old + -en (“to make (adjective)”)",
      "name": "suf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From old + -en (“to make (adjective)”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "oldens",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "oldening",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "oldened",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "oldened",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "olden (third-person singular simple present oldens, present participle oldening, simple past and past participle oldened)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "27 26 47",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English adjectives ending in -en",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "41 17 42",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 41 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms suffixed with -en (inchoative)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:",
          "text": "Of all Sedley's opponents in his debates with his creditors which now ensued, and harassed the feelings of the humiliated old gentleman so severely, that in six weeks he oldened more than he had done for fifteen years before—the most determined and obstinate seemed to be John Osborne, his old friend and neighbour […]",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1912, John Ayscough, Saints and Places, page 123:",
          "text": "They were not worldly days; and so, as we olden with our passage through the world, they stay young, and we love them as pure youthful things are loved.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To grow old; age; assume an older appearance or character; become affected by age."
      ],
      "id": "en-olden-en-verb-qseqE~pl",
      "links": [
        [
          "age",
          "age"
        ],
        [
          "appearance",
          "appearance"
        ],
        [
          "character",
          "character"
        ],
        [
          "affect",
          "affect"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(intransitive, old-fashioned or rare) To grow old; age; assume an older appearance or character; become affected by age."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "eld"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "elden"
        },
        {
          "word": "mature"
        },
        {
          "word": "to age"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dated",
        "intransitive",
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈəʊl.dn̩/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈəʊl.dən/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-olden.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/31/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/31/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈoʊldn̩/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈoʊldən/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-əʊldən"
    }
  ],
  "word": "olden"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English adjectives ending in -en",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms containing fossilized case endings",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms suffixed with -en (inchoative)",
    "English terms suffixed with -en (made of)",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "English verbs",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/əʊldən",
    "Rhymes:English/əʊldən/2 syllables"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "olden time"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "olden"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English olden",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ang",
        "2": "ealdum"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English ealdum",
      "name": "noncog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "old",
        "3": "en",
        "id2": "made of",
        "t2": "made of"
      },
      "expansion": "old + -en (“made of”)",
      "name": "suffix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English olden, probably originally an inflected plural form of old (compare Old English ealdum, dative plural of eald (“old”)), but later reanalysed as equivalent to old + -en (“made of”).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "olden (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "olden days, olden times"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 156:",
          "text": "\"You are right to some extent in what you say. In the olden days people had a stronger belief in all kinds of witchery; now they pretend not to believe in it, that they may be looked upon as sensible and educated people, as you say.\"",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1934, Cole Porter (lyrics and music), “Anything Goes”:",
          "text": "In olden days, a glimpse of stockings\n Was looked on as something shocking;\n Now, heaven knows,\n Anything goes.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "From or relating to a previous era."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "previous",
          "previous"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with archaic senses",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1857, Martha Griffith Browne, Autobiography of a Female Slave, page 347:",
          "text": "We […] told over the story of past sufferings, and renewed olden vows of devotion.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Old; ancient."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Old",
          "old"
        ],
        [
          "ancient",
          "ancient"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(archaic) Old; ancient."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic",
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈəʊl.dn̩/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈəʊl.dən/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-olden.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/31/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/31/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈoʊldn̩/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈoʊldən/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-əʊldən"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "sense": "relating to a previous era",
      "word": "bygone"
    },
    {
      "word": "historical"
    },
    {
      "word": "past"
    },
    {
      "sense": "old, ancient",
      "word": "auld"
    },
    {
      "word": "eldern"
    },
    {
      "word": "old"
    }
  ],
  "word": "olden"
}

{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "word": "youngen"
    }
  ],
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives ending in -en",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms containing fossilized case endings",
    "English terms suffixed with -en (inchoative)",
    "English verbs",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Rhymes:English/əʊldən",
    "Rhymes:English/əʊldən/2 syllables"
  ],
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "old",
        "3": "en",
        "id2": "inchoative",
        "t2": "to make (adjective)"
      },
      "expansion": "old + -en (“to make (adjective)”)",
      "name": "suf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From old + -en (“to make (adjective)”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "oldens",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "oldening",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "oldened",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "oldened",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "olden (third-person singular simple present oldens, present participle oldening, simple past and past participle oldened)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "eld"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English intransitive verbs",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with rare senses"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:",
          "text": "Of all Sedley's opponents in his debates with his creditors which now ensued, and harassed the feelings of the humiliated old gentleman so severely, that in six weeks he oldened more than he had done for fifteen years before—the most determined and obstinate seemed to be John Osborne, his old friend and neighbour […]",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1912, John Ayscough, Saints and Places, page 123:",
          "text": "They were not worldly days; and so, as we olden with our passage through the world, they stay young, and we love them as pure youthful things are loved.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To grow old; age; assume an older appearance or character; become affected by age."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "age",
          "age"
        ],
        [
          "appearance",
          "appearance"
        ],
        [
          "character",
          "character"
        ],
        [
          "affect",
          "affect"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(intransitive, old-fashioned or rare) To grow old; age; assume an older appearance or character; become affected by age."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dated",
        "intransitive",
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈəʊl.dn̩/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈəʊl.dən/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-olden.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/31/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/31/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-olden.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈoʊldn̩/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈoʊldən/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-əʊldən"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "elden"
    },
    {
      "word": "mature"
    },
    {
      "word": "to age"
    }
  ],
  "word": "olden"
}

Download raw JSONL data for olden meaning in English (6.5kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.