What it means
Means a very long time, usually said in a playful British way when something feels ancient or overdue. You use it for stuff you haven't done, seen, or had in ages. It's close to yonks, just a bit dafter and more old-school round the edges.
Usage examples
"I haven't had a chippy tea in donkey's years. I'm starving, you muppet. Let's nip to the takeaway before it shuts."
"I haven't seen Baz in donkey's years, last time was probably that wedding where the marquee blew over."
"This pub hasn't changed the carpet in donkey's years, you can still see the stains from the millennium."
"Blimey, I haven't been on a night out in donkey's years. I'll be wheezing by eleven."
"Mum still calls that hoodie new, but she's had it in the cupboard for donkey's years."
Voice comments
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Where it comes from
It’s been around in British English since at least the early 20th century. The phrase is usually linked to the old comic expression donkey’s ears, with long ears helping sell the idea of a very long stretch of time. The exact route isn’t nailed down beyond that, but the expression itself is well established.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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