What does yestermorning mean?
Yestermorning means the morning of the day before the day in which a statement is made. It is equivalent to “yesterday morning,” but it is more literary and noticeably old-fashioned, often giving a sentence a formal, traditional, or nostalgic tone. The word can function as a noun, as in “the events of yestermorning,” or as an adverb, as in “They arrived yestermorning.” It is encountered in British and American English, particularly in older writing, though it is uncommon in everyday contemporary speech. Yestermorning is especially associated with narratives that recall the previous day or evoke earlier times. Its compound formation is transparent: “yester” means the preceding day, while “morning” identifies the part of that day being considered. Although its meaning is straightforward, the word adds a vivid sense of looking backward, making it useful when the precise morning matters and a formal register is desired.
The morning of the day immediately preceding the day of reference.
"Yestermorning's papers lay unopened on the table."
A literary or archaic noun; modern usage generally prefers “yesterday morning.”
During the morning of the day immediately preceding the day of reference.
"They left yestermorning and reached the coast by evening."
A literary or archaic adverb; modern usage generally prefers “yesterday morning.”
The plural is grammatically regular but rarely needed because the word usually refers to one specific morning.
"Those yestermornings remain vivid in her memory."
In one old-fashioned word, yesterday gets a second sunrise.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of yestermorning
Yestermorning is an English compound formed from “yester” and “morning.” Its first element belongs to the Germanic family represented by “yesterday” and cognates such as German “gestern” and Dutch “gisteren,” while the second is the ordinary English word for the early part of a day. The compound survives chiefly in literary and archaic use, whereas modern speakers usually express the same idea as “yesterday morning.”
How yestermorning is actually used
Literary, archaic, or deliberately old-fashioned. Modern speakers normally say “yesterday morning,” which has the same basic meaning without the formal compound's dated character.
Easily confused with yestermorning
Yesterday refers to the entire preceding day, whereas yestermorning refers only to its morning.