nostalgia
/nɒˈstæld͡ʒə/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: nostalgias
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A longing for home or familiar surroundings; homesickness.
Noun
Examples
Seeing food at camp similar to his mother's cooking sent a wave of nostalgia through him.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A bittersweet yearning for the things of the past.
Noun
Examples
an alumnus' feelings of nostalgia for his/her years in high school
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “nostalgia” mean?
A longing for home or familiar surroundings; homesickness.
Is “nostalgia” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.