Agency Dictionary

nostalgic

adjectivePronunciation: /nɒˈstæl.dʒɪk/

What does “nostalgic” mean?

Characterized by or evoking an affectionate, bittersweet longing for past eras, places, or personal memories.

Etymology

Formed from nostalgia plus the suffix -ic. Nostalgia is a New Latin coinage composed of two Ancient Greek elements: nostos (homecoming, the return voyage) and algos (pain, grief). The compound was used in early modern medical writing to describe a melancholy felt by people far from home. The adjectival form nostalgic followed as the noun spread from medical into literary and everyday use.

Usage note

Nostalgic carries both pleasure and loss at once; the feeling is bittersweet, not simply happy. It differs from sentimental, which does not necessarily imply longing for a past moment.

Synonyms

wistful
sentimental
yearning

Often confused with

sentimental: Sentimental describes being moved by emotion in general; nostalgic names specifically the longing for a past that is gone.

Word family

nostalgia
nostalgically

Usage examples

At 15, I started working with photography; for those who are feeling nostalgic and remember, I began editing with Photoscape, haha, but later I learned Photoshop and Lightroom.

Concept

MultidisciplinarityMultidisciplinarity is an approach that draws on knowledge, concepts, and methodologies from multiple distinct academic or professional disciplines. Rather than isolating…

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Creative.9 - LunnaAugust 3, 2023Read the edition

Words of the same theme

vocationnoun: A strong innate inclination or sense of purpose toward a particular career, craft, or calling.
shogunatenoun: A feudal military dictatorship in Japan, headed by a shogun, in which loyalty and honour were central to its operation. The system was exclusive to Japan and did not exist in other Asian nations.
Synchronicitynoun: The simultaneous occurrence of events that appear meaningfully related yet lack a direct causal connection.
Resiliencenoun: The capacity to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties, tough conditions, or shock.
Stigmanoun: A mark of social disgrace, shame, or prejudice associated with a particular circumstance, trait, or behavior.
clevernessnoun: The mental quality of being quick-witted, agile, and ingenious in solving specific situational problems.
Monoclenoun: A single eyeglass lens designed to correct or enhance vision in one eye, held in place by the facial muscles around the eye socket.
collective consciousnessnoun: The set of beliefs, ideas and feelings shared by the members of a society, which exists beyond any single person. By extension, what a community knows and repeats in common.
samurainoun: A member of the warrior class of feudal Japan, bound by codes of loyalty and honour, who served under the shogunate system. In the article, the samurai class is one of the two groups with access to Noh theatre.
Abyssnoun: A deep or seemingly bottomless chasm, either in physical geography or metaphorical psychological depth. It evokes feelings of unfathomable emptiness or existential peril.
Adversitynoun: A state of severe hardship, difficulty, or misfortune that tests resilience and moral endurance.
Affectnoun: An expressed or experienced emotion, feeling, or visceral response to a stimulus in psychology and philosophy.

Also from these editions: terms

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letteringnoun: The art of drawing custom typographic characters and decorative letters to create a unique illustrative composition.
Protagonistnoun: The principal character or leading figure in a dramatic production, novel, or historical movement.
sentientadjective: Able to perceive, feel, and experience sensations or consciousness with emotional responsiveness.
sommeliernoun: A trained specialist knowledgeable in wine or fine goods, often used colloquially to describe self-appointed critics who scrutinize cultural details.
transmuteverb: To change, transform, or convert something in form, nature, or substance into a higher or different manifestation.