bygone

American  

[bahy-gawn, -gon] / ˈbaɪˌgɔn, -ˌgɒn /

adjective

1. past; gone by; earlier; former.

   The faded photograph brought memories of bygone days.

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noun

1. Usually bygones. that which is past.

   Let's not talk of bygones.

idioms

1. let bygones be bygones, to decide to forget past disagreements; become reconciled.

   Let's let bygones be bygones and be friends again.

bygone British  

/ ˈbaɪˌɡɒn /

adjective

1. (usually prenominal) past; former

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noun

1. (often plural) a past occurrence

2. (often plural) an artefact, implement, etc, of former domestic or industrial use, now often collected for interest

3. to agree to forget past quarrels

Etymology

Origin of bygone

1375–1425; late Middle English (north) by-gane; gone, by

Explanation

The adjective bygone is good for describing long-ago times. Your grandparents might enjoy looking at old photo albums and reminiscing about bygone days. A bygone era happened in the distant past, and a bygone sweetheart is an early romantic interest remembered by someone who's since lived a long life. You're most likely to see the phrase "bygone days" being used in a nostalgic way. If someone says, "Let bygones be bygones," they want to make up for long-ago slights and arguments, leaving them in the past where they belong.

Example Sentences

It feels like a relic from a bygone age of simplicity: an entire season of reality TV hinging on the social lives of a group of unpolished teenagers.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Mero, in collaboration with fellow street artist Wild Life, has turned the blighted space into a fantastical haven with a knight, a dragon and more — a decaying castle from a bygone era.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026

Section 122, the basis for his new tax plan, is a relic of a bygone age.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

"In bygone eras, dads and uncles would show young people how things are done," said the 52-year-old.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

For dinner she is buttoned into a starchy dress from some bygone decade.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr