olden

The word 'olden' is a straightforward formation from the core Germanic adjective 'old,' which descends from the Proto-Indo-European root h₂el-, meaning "to grow, nourish." This root connects aging with the process of growth and maturity. The suffix '-en' was productively added in Middle English to nouns to create adjectives meaning "made of" (e.g., wooden) or "characteristic of." In 'olden,' this suffix was attached to 'old' to form an adjective specifically meaning "of or belonging to old times," effectively creating a more poetic and archaic-sounding variant of 'old' itself. Its modern use, primarily in the fixed phrase "olden days" or "olden times," evokes a nostalgic or legendary past.

Structure: old + en - old: From Old English eald (aged, ancient, mature), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch oud and German alt. It functions as the core adjective. - en: A suffix of Germanic origin, used to form adjectives of material or source (e.g., wooden, golden) or, as here, to mean "made of; having the qualities of; pertaining to."