yesterday
noun
- the day before today
adverb
- on the day before the present day
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈjɛstədeɪ/ / /ˈjɛstədɪ/ / /ˈjɪstədə/
adv
Etymology: From Middle English yesterday, yisterday, ȝesterdai, ȝisterdai, from Old English ġiestrandæġ, ġister dæġ, ġestor dæġ, ġeostran dæġ (“yesterday”), by surface analysis, yester- + day. Cognate with Scots yisterday, yesterday (“yesterday”), Saterland Frisian jässendeeg, järsendeges (“yesterday”, adverb), West Frisian justerdei (“yesterday”), Dutch gisterdag (“yesterday”), dialectal German gestertag (“yesterday”), Swedish gårdag (“yesterday”), Gothic 𐌲𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍂𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌲𐌹𐍃 (gistradagis, “tomorrow”, adverb). Compare further Dutch gisteren (“yesterday”), German gestern (“yesterday”).
- On the day before today.
“I started to watch the video yesterday, but could only finish it this evening.”
- As soon as possible.
“I want this done yesterday!”
“I need it yesterday!”
noun
Etymology: From Middle English yesterday, yisterday, ȝesterdai, ȝisterdai, from Old English ġiestrandæġ, ġister dæġ, ġestor dæġ, ġeostran dæġ (“yesterday”), by surface analysis, yester- + day. Cognate with Scots yisterday, yesterday (“yesterday”), Saterland Frisian jässendeeg, järsendeges (“yesterday”, adverb), West Frisian justerdei (“yesterday”), Dutch gisterdag (“yesterday”), dialectal German gestertag (“yesterday”), Swedish gårdag (“yesterday”), Gothic 𐌲𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍂𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌲𐌹𐍃 (gistradagis, “tomorrow”, adverb). Compare further Dutch gisteren (“yesterday”), German gestern (“yesterday”).
- The day immediately before today; one day ago.
“Today is the child of yesterday and the parent of tomorrow.”
“Yesterday was rainy, but by this morning it had begun to snow.”
- The past, often in terms of being outdated.
“yesterday's technology”
“The worker of today is different from that of yesterday.”