yesterday
Yesterday (noun) means the day before today. Example: “Yesterday was much sunnier than today.”
How to use yesterday
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe day right before today.
Word forms
yesterdays plural
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ was much sunnier than today.
Etymology
From Old English giestrandæg, a compound of "yester-" (relating to the previous day) and "day".
Synonyms
View more →Rhymes for yesterday
See all rhymes for yesterday →Frequently asked questions
What does “yesterday” mean?
The word “yesterday” means the day before today. In plain terms, the day right before today.
How do you pronounce “yesterday”?
“Yesterday” is pronounced YEHS-tuh-day (/ˈjɛstɹdeɪ/ in IPA).
How do you use “yesterday” in a sentence?
Here is “yesterday” used in a sentence: “Yesterday was much sunnier than today.”
What part of speech is “yesterday”?
Depending on how it is used, “yesterday” can be a noun and an adverb.
Where does the word “yesterday” come from?
The word “yesterday” comes from Latin. From Old English giestrandæg, a compound of "yester-" (relating to the previous day) and "day".
Is “yesterday” a common word?
“Yesterday” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “yesterday” have?
“Yesterday” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the day before today.
What is the opposite of yesterday?
The opposite of yesterday is tomorrow — the day after today, just as yesterday is the day before. Today sits between them as the present day. Together, yesterday, today, and tomorrow form the everyday way English marks the recent past, the present, and the near future.
Is yesterday a noun or an adverb?
Yesterday works as both. As a noun it names the day before today: "Yesterday was busy." As an adverb it tells when something happened: "I saw her yesterday." The meaning stays the same; only its grammatical role changes with how it is used in the sentence.
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