English word origin

Etymology of olden

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”). Otherwise derived f

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

adj

From or relating to a previous era. · Old; ancient.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mentionoldenenm
Derivation mentionaldinnnon

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "olden"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English olden"
    },
    {
      "name": "noncog",
      "args": {
        "1": "ang",
        "2": "ealdum"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English ealdum"
    },
    {
      "name": "suffix",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "old",
        "3": "en",
        "id2": "made of",
        "t2": "made of"
      },
      "expansion": "old + -en (“made of”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "non",
        "3": "aldinn",
        "4": "",
        "5": "ancient, old"
      },
      "expansion": "Old Norse aldinn (“ancient, old”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "olden",
      "olden#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "old",
      "old#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "ealdum",
      "ealdum#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "eald",
      "eald#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "old",
      "old#English"
    ],
    [
      "-en",
      "-en#English:_made_of"
    ],
    [
      "aldinn",
      "aldinn#Old_Norse"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "From or relating to a previous era.",
        "Old; ancient."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable",
        "archaic"
      ],
      "recordId": "4b68e6984d1daa7d6c090d487a55b0418128ff5de36ebf161161382d578533cc",
      "rawRecordSha256": "ef9c6b431c7ba6a2a9c3f7f946d531fda740cb01c3de2337b41af18464c0ac2a",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 282899
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

verb

To grow old; age; assume an older appearance or character; become affected by age.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *h₂eltós Proto-Germanic *aldaz Proto-West Germanic *ald Anglian Old English ald Middle English old English old Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-West Germanic *-inōn Old English -nian Middle English -enen /-nen English -en English olden From old + -en (“to make (adjective)”).

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "old",
        "4": "-en<t:to make (adjective)><id:inchoative>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₂el-\nProto-Indo-European *h₂eltós\nProto-Germanic *aldaz\nProto-West Germanic *ald\nAnglian Old English ald\nMiddle English old\nEnglish old\nProto-Germanic *-in-\nProto-Indo-European *-h₂\nProto-Indo-European *-éh₂\nProto-Indo-European *-yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-h₂ti\nProto-Germanic *-ōną\nProto-Germanic *-inōną\nProto-West Germanic *-inōn\nOld English -nian\nMiddle English -enen /-nen\nEnglish -en\nEnglish olden\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*aldaz\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*ald\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Anglian Old English\", \"term\" : \"eald\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang-ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"old\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"old\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"inchoative\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*-in-\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"verbal\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"suf\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"collective nouns\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"collective nouns\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-h₂\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\", \"pos\" : \"suffix originally used to form collective nouns, extended in Late PIE to also be a marker of feminine gender\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-éh₂\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"intransitive verbs\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-yéti\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-eh₂yéti\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"id\" : \"factitive verb\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-h₂ti\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ōną\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-inōną\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-inōn\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-nian\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-enen\\/\\/-nen\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-en\", \"gloss\" : \"to make (adjective)\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"olden\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"olden\">\nFrom old + -en (“to make (adjective)”)."
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "old",
        "4": "-en<t:to make (adjective)><id:inchoative>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *h₂el-\nProto-Indo-European *h₂eltós\nProto-Germanic *aldaz\nProto-West Germanic *ald\nAnglian Old English ald\nMiddle English old\nEnglish old\nProto-Germanic *-in-\nProto-Indo-European *-h₂\nProto-Indo-European *-éh₂\nProto-Indo-European *-yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti\nProto-Indo-European *-h₂ti\nProto-Germanic *-ōną\nProto-Germanic *-inōną\nProto-West Germanic *-inōn\nOld English -nian\nMiddle English -enen /-nen\nEnglish -en\nEnglish olden\nFrom old + -en (“to make (adjective)”)."
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*h₂el-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂el-#Proto-Indo-European:_grow"
    ],
    [
      "*aldaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/aldaz"
    ],
    [
      "*ald",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/ald"
    ],
    [
      "ald",
      "eald#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "old",
      "old#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "old",
      "old#English"
    ],
    [
      "*-h₂",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-h₂#Proto-Indo-European:_collective_nouns"
    ],
    [
      "*-éh₂",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-éh₂#Proto-Indo-European:_collective_nouns"
    ],
    [
      "*-yéti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-yéti#Proto-Indo-European:_intransitive_verbs"
    ],
    [
      "*-eh₂yéti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-eh₂yéti#Proto-Indo-European:_suf"
    ],
    [
      "*-h₂ti",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-h₂ti#Proto-Indo-European:_factitive_verb"
    ],
    [
      "*-ōną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-ōną#Proto-Germanic:_verbal"
    ],
    [
      "*-inōną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-inōną"
    ],
    [
      "*-inōn",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-inōn"
    ],
    [
      "-nian",
      "-nian#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "-enen",
      "-enen#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "-nen",
      "-nen#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "-en",
      "-en#English:_inchoative"
    ],
    [
      "old",
      "old#English"
    ],
    [
      "-en",
      "-en#English:_inchoative"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To grow old; age; assume an older appearance or character; become affected by age."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dated",
        "intransitive",
        "rare"
      ],
      "recordId": "7996dd9b53d0fb8671237ef53aa321ad46f52444d746f030d2026660949792d0",
      "rawRecordSha256": "89e20e854c1b4a6cfbfe7ef07c447bd1c8897f72ca12190d7654de112ec2d43c",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 282900
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for olden →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-b2xkZW4