Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

auld lang syne

/ˌɔl(d)læŋ ˈsaɪn/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.27 in modern English

Syllables
auld lang syne
IPA
/ˌɔl(d)læŋ ˈsaɪn/
17
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
1
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Days gone by; former times.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Scots auld lang syne (“old long ago”, literally “old long since”), popularized by the poem “Auld Lang Syne” (1788) by Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns (1759–1796) based on an older song.

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌɔl(d)læŋ ˈsaɪn/
  • British English: /ˌɔːld læŋ ˈsaɪn/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Phrases

for old lang syne for old times' sake

Frequently Paired Words

Questions

How do you pronounce auld lang syne?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌɔl(d)læŋ ˈsaɪn/.
What does auld lang syne mean?
Days gone by; former times.
Where does auld lang syne come from?
From Scots auld lang syne (“old long ago”, literally “old long since”), popularized by the poem “Auld Lang Syne” (1788) by Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns (1759–1796) based on an older song.

How to pronounce auld lang syne

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “auld lang syne”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌɔl(d)læŋ ˈsaɪn/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “auld lang syne”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “auld lang syne” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.