old-style
|old-style|
🇺🇸
/ˌoʊldˈstaɪl/
🇬🇧
/ˌəʊldˈstaɪl/
in the former manner; old-fashioned
Etymology
'old-style' is a compound of English 'old' and 'style'. 'Old' comes from Old English 'eald' meaning 'ageing' or 'long-established', while 'style' comes ultimately from Latin 'stilus' (a writing instrument) via Old French 'estile' and Middle English 'stile', meaning 'manner' or 'way'.
'old' developed from Old English 'eald' and retained its sense of 'long-established' into Modern English; 'style' evolved from Latin 'stilus' to Old French 'estile' and Middle English 'stile', coming to mean 'manner' or 'mode'. The compound 'old-style' arose in Modern English to describe things in an earlier manner and later gained specific uses (typography, calendar).
Originally the components meant 'long-established' (old) and 'manner' (style); combined, they initially meant 'in the former manner' and have retained that core sense, while also taking on specialized meanings in typography and calendrical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an older form or manner; specifically, 'Old Style' may refer to the Julian calendar (as opposed to 'New Style' or the Gregorian calendar).
Dates before the calendar reform were often recorded as Old Style.
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Adjective 1
characteristic of or belonging to an earlier period; old-fashioned.
They prefer old-style furniture in their countryside cottage.
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Adjective 2
relating to or resembling traditional methods or conventions (often used about cuisine, dress, or manners).
The restaurant serves old-style recipes passed down for generations.
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Last updated: 2025/11/17 15:50