nostalgia

See also: nostalgía

English

Alternative forms

• nostalgy (archaic)

Etymology

From New Latin nostalgia, coined from Ancient Greek νόστος (nóstos, “returning home”) + ἄλγος (álgos, “pain”), translating German Heimweh. Ancient Greek *νοσταλγία (*nostalgía) is unattested. Transferred sense probably influenced by French nostalgie, especially in literature.

Compare Italian nostalgia, Spanish nostalgia, Portuguese nostalgia and French nostalgie.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /nɒˈstæld͡ʒə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /nɑˈstæld͡ʒə/, /nəˈstæld͡ʒə/, /nɔˈstæld͡ʒə/; /nɑˈstɑld͡ʒə/, /nəˈstɑld͡ʒə/, /nɔˈstɑld͡ʒə/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /nəˈstæɫd͡ʒə/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

Noun

nostalgia (countable and uncountable, plural nostalgias)

1. (now uncommon) A longing for home or familiar surroundings; homesickness. [from 18th c.]
   • 1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, chapter L, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC:

     I have an idea that some men are born out of their due place. Accident has cast them amid certain surroundings, but they have always a nostalgia for a home they know not.

2. (transferred sense) A bittersweet yearning for the things of the past. [from 20th c.]
   • 2013 August 16, Oliver Burkeman, “This is the cutest article”, in The Guardian Weekly‎^[1], volume 189, number 10, page 20:

     I can't have been the only person, last week, to feel a rush of nostalgia upon learning that Thames Water had removed a bus-sized, 15-tonne lump of food fat ("mixed with wet wipes") from the sewers under London. The fatberg was an August news story redolent of the old-fashioned silly season.

   • 2022 November 15, Dan Hancox, “‘Who remembers proper binmen?’ The nostalgia memes that help explain Britain today”, in The Guardian‎^[2]:

     Though there is nothing generationally unique in the desire to bask in the banalities of your past, these nostalgia communities have flourished on Facebook as its user base has grown ever older in the past decade.

Antonyms

• nostopathy
• nostophobia

Derived terms

• blinded by nostalgia
• nostalgia goggles
• nostalgic
• nostalgically
• retro-nostalgia
• Yugo-nostalgia

 

Related terms

• nostalgie de la boue
• solastalgia
• technostalgia
• Eastalgia

Translations

longing for home or familiar surroundings — see homesickness

bittersweet yearning for the things of the past

• Albanian: nostalgji (sq) f
• Arabic: حَنِين‎ m (ḥanīn), اِشْتِيَاق‎ (ar) m (ištiyāq)
• Armenian: կարոտաբաղձություն (hy) (karotabaġjutʿyun), նոստալգիա (hy) (nostalgia)
• Asturian: señardá f
• Azerbaijani: nostalgiya
• Belarusian: настальгі́я f (nastalʹhíja)
• Bulgarian: носта́лгия (bg) f (nostálgija)
• Catalan: nostàlgia (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 懷舊／怀旧 (zh) (huáijiù), 懷古／怀古 (zh) (huáigǔ)

• Czech: nostalgie (cs) f
• Danish: nostalgi c
• Dutch: nostalgie (nl) f
• Esperanto: saŭdado, nostalgio
• Estonian: nostalgia (et)
• Finnish: nostalgia (fi), haikeus (fi), kaiho (fi)
• French: nostalgie (fr) f
• Galician: morriña (gl) f
• Georgian: ნოსტალგია (nosṭalgia)
• German: Nostalgie (de) f, Sehnsucht (de) f, Wehmut (de) f
• Greek: νοσταλγία (el) f (nostalgía)
• Guaraní: techaga'u
• Hebrew: נוֹסְטַלְגְיָה‎ (he) f (nostálgya)
• Hindi: उदासी (hi) f (udāsī)
• Hungarian: nosztalgia (hu)
• Icelandic: nostalgía f, fortíðarþrá f
• Indonesian: nostalgia (id)
• Italian: nostalgia (it) f
• Japanese: 懐古 (ja) (かいこ, kaiko), 懐旧 (ja) (かいきゅう, kaikyū), ノスタルジー (nosutarujī), ノスタルジア (nosutarujia)
• Khmer: ការនឹករលឹក (karnœ̆krôlœ̆k)
• Korean: 향수(鄕愁) (ko) (hyangsu), 노스탤지어 (noseutaeljieo), 회향(懷鄕) (ko) (hoehyang)
• Ladino: eskarinyo m, deskarinyo m (Izmir)
• Latvian: nostalģija f
• Lithuanian: nostalgija f
• Macedonian: носталгија f (nostalgija)
• Malayalam: ഗൃഹാതുരത്വം (ml) (gr̥hāturatvaṁ), ഗതാതുരത്വം (gatāturatvaṁ)
• Mongolian: please add this translation if you can
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: nostalgi (no) m

  Nynorsk: nostalgi m

• Persian: اندمه‎ (fa) (andame), نوستالژی‎ (fa) (nostâlži)
• Polish: nostalgia (pl) f
• Portuguese: nostalgia (pt) f, saudade (pt)
• Romanian: nostalgie (ro) f
• Russian: ностальги́я (ru) f (nostalʹgíja), тоска́ (ru) f (toská)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: носта̀лгија f

  Roman: nostàlgija (sh) f

• Slovak: nostalgia f
• Slovene: nostalgija f
• Spanish: nostalgia (es) f, añoranza (es) f
• Swedish: nostalgi (sv) c
• Thai: please add this translation if you can
• Turkish: nostalji (tr)
• Ukrainian: ностальгі́я f (nostalʹhíja)
• Urdu: اداسی‎ f (udāsī)
• Vietnamese: hoài niệm (vi), nuối tiếc, nỗi nhớ
• Welsh: hiraeth (cy) m

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Berber:

  Tashelhit: ^{(please verify)} amarg m

• Japanese: ^{(please verify)} 郷愁 (ja) (きょうしゅう, kyōshū), ^{(please verify)} 望郷 (ja) (ぼうきょう, bōkyō), ^{(please verify)} 里心 (さとごころ, satogokoro)
• Khmer: ^{(please verify)} ការអាឡោះអាល័យ (kaa aalɑh aalay)

See also

• halcyon days
• hark back
• memory lane
• reminiscence
• anemoia

Anagrams

• analogist, antigoals, galtonias

Finnish

Etymology

From New Latin nostalgia, coined from Ancient Greek νόστος (nóstos, “returning home”) + ἄλγος (álgos, “pain”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnostɑlɡiɑ/, [ˈno̞s̠tɑ̝lˌɡiɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -iɑ
• Syllabification^(key): nos‧tal‧gi‧a

Noun

nostalgia

1. nostalgia

Declension

Inflection of nostalgia (Kotus type 12/kulkija, no gradation)
nominative		nostalgia	nostalgiat
genitive		nostalgian	nostalgioiden nostalgioitten
partitive		nostalgiaa	nostalgioita
illative		nostalgiaan	nostalgioihin
		singular	plural
nominative		nostalgia	nostalgiat
accusative	nom.	nostalgia	nostalgiat
	gen.	nostalgian
genitive		nostalgian	nostalgioiden nostalgioitten nostalgiainrare
partitive		nostalgiaa	nostalgioita
inessive		nostalgiassa	nostalgioissa
elative		nostalgiasta	nostalgioista
illative		nostalgiaan	nostalgioihin
adessive		nostalgialla	nostalgioilla
ablative		nostalgialta	nostalgioilta
allative		nostalgialle	nostalgioille
essive		nostalgiana	nostalgioina
translative		nostalgiaksi	nostalgioiksi
instructive		—	nostalgioin
abessive		nostalgiatta	nostalgioitta
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of nostalgia (type kulkija)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative nostalgiani nostalgiani accusative nom. nostalgiani nostalgiani gen. nostalgiani genitive nostalgiani nostalgioideni nostalgioitteni nostalgiainirare partitive nostalgiaani nostalgioitani inessive nostalgiassani nostalgioissani elative nostalgiastani nostalgioistani illative nostalgiaani nostalgioihini adessive nostalgiallani nostalgioillani ablative nostalgialtani nostalgioiltani allative nostalgialleni nostalgioilleni essive nostalgianani nostalgioinani translative nostalgiakseni nostalgioikseni instructive — — abessive nostalgiattani nostalgioittani comitative — nostalgioineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative nostalgiasi nostalgiasi accusative nom. nostalgiasi nostalgiasi gen. nostalgiasi genitive nostalgiasi nostalgioidesi nostalgioittesi nostalgiaisirare partitive nostalgiaasi nostalgioitasi inessive nostalgiassasi nostalgioissasi elative nostalgiastasi nostalgioistasi illative nostalgiaasi nostalgioihisi adessive nostalgiallasi nostalgioillasi ablative nostalgialtasi nostalgioiltasi allative nostalgiallesi nostalgioillesi essive nostalgianasi nostalgioinasi translative nostalgiaksesi nostalgioiksesi instructive — — abessive nostalgiattasi nostalgioittasi comitative — nostalgioinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative nostalgiamme nostalgiamme accusative nom. nostalgiamme nostalgiamme gen. nostalgiamme genitive nostalgiamme nostalgioidemme nostalgioittemme nostalgiaimmerare partitive nostalgiaamme nostalgioitamme inessive nostalgiassamme nostalgioissamme elative nostalgiastamme nostalgioistamme illative nostalgiaamme nostalgioihimme adessive nostalgiallamme nostalgioillamme ablative nostalgialtamme nostalgioiltamme allative nostalgiallemme nostalgioillemme essive nostalgianamme nostalgioinamme translative nostalgiaksemme nostalgioiksemme instructive — — abessive nostalgiattamme nostalgioittamme comitative — nostalgioinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative nostalgianne nostalgianne accusative nom. nostalgianne nostalgianne gen. nostalgianne genitive nostalgianne nostalgioidenne nostalgioittenne nostalgiainnerare partitive nostalgiaanne nostalgioitanne inessive nostalgiassanne nostalgioissanne elative nostalgiastanne nostalgioistanne illative nostalgiaanne nostalgioihinne adessive nostalgiallanne nostalgioillanne ablative nostalgialtanne nostalgioiltanne allative nostalgiallenne nostalgioillenne essive nostalgiananne nostalgioinanne translative nostalgiaksenne nostalgioiksenne instructive — — abessive nostalgiattanne nostalgioittanne comitative — nostalgioinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative nostalgiansa nostalgiansa accusative nom. nostalgiansa nostalgiansa gen. nostalgiansa genitive nostalgiansa nostalgioidensa nostalgioittensa nostalgiainsarare partitive nostalgiaansa nostalgioitaan nostalgioitansa inessive nostalgiassaan nostalgiassansa nostalgioissaan nostalgioissansa elative nostalgiastaan nostalgiastansa nostalgioistaan nostalgioistansa illative nostalgiaansa nostalgioihinsa adessive nostalgiallaan nostalgiallansa nostalgioillaan nostalgioillansa ablative nostalgialtaan nostalgialtansa nostalgioiltaan nostalgioiltansa allative nostalgialleen nostalgiallensa nostalgioilleen nostalgioillensa essive nostalgianaan nostalgianansa nostalgioinaan nostalgioinansa translative nostalgiakseen nostalgiaksensa nostalgioikseen nostalgioiksensa instructive — — abessive nostalgiattaan nostalgiattansa nostalgioittaan nostalgioittansa comitative — nostalgioineen nostalgioinensa

Derived terms

• nostalgikko
• nostalginen
• nostalgisesti
• nostalgisoida
• nostalgisointi
• nostalgisuus

Further reading

• "nostalgia" in Kielitoimiston sanakirja (Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish).

Indonesian

Etymology

From English nostalgia.

Noun

nostalgia (first-person possessive nostalgiaku, second-person possessive nostalgiamu, third-person possessive nostalgianya)

1. nostalgia

Further reading

• “nostalgia” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Language Development and Fostering Agency — Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic Indonesia, 2016.

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from New Latin nostalgia, coined from Ancient Greek νόστος (nóstos, “returning home”) + ἄλγος (álgos, “pain”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /no.stalˈd͡ʒi.a/
• Rhymes: -ia
• Hyphenation: no‧stal‧gì‧a

Noun

nostalgia f (plural nostalgie)

1. nostalgia, homesickness, longing

Related terms

• nostalgico

Anagrams

• angolasti, losangati, stagliano

Malay

Etymology

From English nostalgia.

Noun

nostalgia (Jawi spelling نوستلݢيا‎, plural nostalgia-nostalgia, informal 1st possessive nostalgiaku, 2nd possessive nostalgiamu, 3rd possessive nostalgianya)

1. nostalgia

Further reading

• “nostalgia” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from French nostalgie, from New Latin nostalgia, from Ancient Greek νόστος (nóstos) + ἄλγος (álgos).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nɔsˈtal.ɡja/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -alɡja
• Syllabification: nos‧tal‧gia

Noun

nostalgia f

1. nostalgia (yearning for the past)

Declension

Declension of nostalgia

	singular	plural
nominative	nostalgia	nostalgie
genitive	nostalgii	nostalgii/nostalgij (archaic)
dative	nostalgii	nostalgiom
accusative	nostalgię	nostalgie
instrumental	nostalgią	nostalgiami
locative	nostalgii	nostalgiach
vocative	nostalgio	nostalgie

Derived terms

adjective

• nostalgiczny

 

nouns

• nostalgiczka
• nostalgik

 

Related terms

adverb

• nostalgicznie

 

Further reading

• nostalgia in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• nostalgia in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Etymology

From New Latin nostalgia, coined from Ancient Greek νόστος (nóstos, “returning home”) + ἄλγος (álgos, “pain”).

Cognate with Galician nostalxia.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /nos.tawˈʒi.ɐ/ [nos.taʊ̯ˈʒi.ɐ]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /nos.tawˈʒi.ɐ/ [nos.taʊ̯ˈʒi.ɐ]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /noʃ.tawˈʒi.ɐ/ [noʃ.taʊ̯ˈʒi.ɐ]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /nos.tawˈʒi.a/ [nos.taʊ̯ˈʒi.a]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /nuʃ.talˈʒi.ɐ/ [nuʃ.taɫˈʒi.ɐ]

• Hyphenation: nos‧tal‧gi‧a

Noun

nostalgia f (plural nostalgias)

1. nostalgia (yearning for the past)

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from New Latin nostalgia, coined from Ancient Greek νόστος (nóstos, “returning home”) + ἄλγος (álgos, “pain”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nosˈtalxja/ [nosˈt̪al.xja]
• Rhymes: -alxja
• Syllabification: nos‧tal‧gia

Noun

nostalgia f (plural nostalgias)

1. nostalgia

Related terms

• nostálgico

 

Further reading

• “nostalgia”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014