auld lang syne

[ awld lang zahyn, sahyn ]

noun

, Scot. and North England.

1. old times, especially times fondly remembered.
2. old or long friendship.

auld lang syne

/ ˈɔːld læŋ ˈsəɪn; ˈzaɪn; ˈsaɪn /

noun

1. old times; times past, esp those remembered with affection or nostalgia

“Auld Lang Syne”

1. A traditional Scottish song, customarily sung on New Year's Eve; the title means “Time Long Past.” The words, passed down orally, were recorded by the eighteenth-century poet Robert Burns . The song begins:

   Should auld [old] acquaintance be forgot,

   And never brought to min'?

   Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

   And auld lang syne!

Word History and Origins

Origin of auld lang syne¹

First recorded in 1660–80; from Scots: literally, “old long since,” i.e., “old long-ago (days)”

Word History and Origins

Origin of auld lang syne¹

Scottish, literally: old long since

Example Sentences

Following the fireworks thousands continued to celebrate, signing Auld Lang Syne and dancing.

From BBC

From the first spray of fireworks to the closing chorus of “Auld Lang Syne” 366 days into the future - 2024 is a leap year - it could be the year for finally achieving long-elusive goals, fulfilling aspirations and being resolute on all those New Year resolutions.

From Washington Times

From the first spray of fireworks to the closing chorus of “Auld Lang Syne” 366 days into the future — 2024 is a leap year — it could be the year for finally achieving long-elusive goals, fulfilling aspirations and being resolute on all those New Year resolutions.

From Seattle Times

The show’s success popularized “Auld Lang Syne” as the quintessential New Year’s song across the country.

From National Geographic

Grant emphasizes in her book Auld Lang Syne: A Song and Its Culture that at the time the song “was already firmly established in many communities, quite possibly beginning in the Scottish diaspora.”

From National Geographic