Yesterday
/ˈjɛstərdeɪ/noun
The day before today.
Did you know?In Old English, the word was formed from a demonstrative element meaning “that” plus “day,” showing how Germanic languages often built time words from everyday pointing words.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*jēstera-
“that (time) before; former”
Old English
OE
gēostran dæg
“yesterday, literally “yester day””
Middle English
ME
yisterday
“yesterday”
15th Century
English
yesterday
“the day before today”
Modern English
English
yesterday
“the day before today”