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once upon a time

once up·on a time
O o

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [wuhns uh-pon, uh-pawn ey tahym]
    • /wʌns əˈpɒn, əˈpɔn eɪ taɪm/
    • /wʌns əˈpɒn ə taɪm/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [wuhns uh-pon, uh-pawn ey tahym]
    • /wʌns əˈpɒn, əˈpɔn eɪ taɪm/

Definitions of once upon a time words

  • adverb once upon a time at one time in the past; formerly: I was a farmer once; a once powerful nation. 1
  • adverb once upon a time a single time: We ate there just once. We go to a movie once a week. 1
  • adverb once upon a time even a single time; at any time; ever: If the facts once become known, it will be just too bad. 1
  • adverb once upon a time by a single step, degree, or grade: a cousin once removed. 1
  • adjective once upon a time former; having at one time been: the once and future king. 1
  • noun once upon a time a single occasion; one time only: Once is enough. 1

Information block about the term

Origin of once upon a time

First appearance:

before 1150
One of the 7% oldest English words
before 1150; Middle English ones, Old English ānes, orig. genitive of ān one; replacing Middle English enes, Old English ǣnes once, equivalent to ǣne once (orig. instrumental of ān) + -es adv. suffix; see -s1

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Once upon a time

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

once upon a time popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 97% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

once upon a time usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for once upon a time

adv once upon a time

  • aforetime — formerly
  • at one time — If you say that something was the case at one time, you mean that it was the case during a particular period in the past.
  • formerly — in time past; in an earlier period or age; previously: a custom formerly observed.
  • long ago — of or relating to the distant past or to remote events; ancient: long-ago exploits remembered only in folk tales.

adverb once upon a time

  • erewhile — A while before ; some time ago.
  • erstwhile — Former.
  • old — far advanced in the years of one's or its life: an old man; an old horse; an old tree.
  • once — at one time in the past; formerly: I was a farmer once; a once powerful nation.
  • one — being or amounting to a single unit or individual or entire thing, item, or object rather than two or more; a single: one woman; one nation; one piece of cake.

Antonyms for once upon a time

adverb once upon a time

  • future — time that is to be or come hereafter.

See also

Matching words

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