antan
yesteryear, days of old
noun ahn-TAHN Rare
Origin: Old French antan, from Latin ante annum (before the year)
Usage Note
Antan survives almost exclusively in the fixed literary phrase d'antan ('of yesteryear'), as immortalised by Villon's line 'Mais où sont les neiges d'antan?' It is never used as a free-standing noun in modern prose. It is masculine singular and has no plural in current usage.
Examples
"Il regrettait les charmes d'antan."
Natural Translation
He missed the charms of yesteryear.
Literal Translation
He regretted the charms of yesteryear.
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