time-honored
Meaning
respected or valued because it has existed or been used for a long time
Structure
Usage
The bakery uses a time-honored recipe passed down through five generations.
It is a time-honored tradition to ring the bells at midnight on New Year's Eve.
They settled the dispute through a time-honored process of mediation.
Etymology
The compound adjective 'time-honored' is a relatively modern English formation, emerging from the straightforward combination of two native concepts. The first element, 'time', derives from the Old English tīma, a Germanic word broadly referring to a period or season. The second element, 'honored', traces back to Latin honor, meaning esteem or dignity, which passed into English via Old French. The compound's logic is transparent: something is respected (honored) specifically because of its association with long tradition or age (time), reflecting a cultural value placed on longevity and historical continuity.
Analysis
- time: From Old English tīma (a period, season), of Germanic origin. Functions as a noun element denoting a long duration. - honored: From the past participle of the verb honor, which entered Middle English via Old French onor, from Latin honor, honos. Functions as an adjective element meaning respected or esteemed.