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Pastness - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

Pastness refers to the quality or state of being in the past, evoking a sense of time gone by. It is often used to describe nostalgia, historical context, or the feeling of something belonging to an earlier era.

pastness

/ˈpæstnəs/ /ˈpɑːstnəs/

Definition:

The quality or state of belonging to the past; the characteristic of being past.

Synonyms:

bygoneness, former times, yesteryear

Part of Speech:

noun

Antonyms:

presentness, futurity

Common Collocations:

sense of pastness, evoke pastness, nostalgia for pastness

Derivatives:

past, pasts, pastless

Usage Tips:

Use "pastness" to describe the intangible feeling or quality of something being from an earlier time.

Common Phrases:

a sense of pastness, the pastness of things, lost in pastness

Etymology:

Derived from "past" (Middle English) + "-ness," indicating a state or quality.

Examples:

  • 1. The old photos evoked a strong sense of pastness.
  • 2. Her writing captures the pastness of childhood summers perfectly.
  • 3. The museum exhibit emphasized the pastness of ancient civilizations.
  • 4. He felt overwhelmed by the pastness of his hometown after years away.

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