nostalgia
Americannoun
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a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time.
a nostalgia for his college days.
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something that elicits or displays nostalgia.
noun
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a yearning for the return of past circumstances, events, etc
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the evocation of this emotion, as in a book, film, etc
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longing for home or family; homesickness
Other Word Forms
- nostalgic adjective
Etymology
Origin of nostalgia
First recorded in 1770–80; from New Latin, from Greek nóst(os) “a return home” + -algia -algia
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The revenge of the analog—through the popularity of Moleskine notebooks and letterpress cards, through the revival of film cameras among Gen Z—comes down to something more interesting than simple nostalgia.
From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026
In a cake defined by nostalgia, that presence matters.
From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026
He thinks renewed interest is fuelled by nostalgia, and the fact people can switch off while playing - but there's another big reason.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
Executives who ignore LinkedIn messages from experienced professionals will take calls from 19-year-olds, often out of pure nostalgia for their own beginnings or a vague sense they should “give back.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
The nostalgia is the stronger and the more ambiguous because he is really ‘in quest of his own absconded self yet scared to find it’.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
