once and future

once and future

Used to categorize someone or something as having an enduring, eternal quality or status. A play on The Once and Future King, a series of novels about the legendary King Arthur. But the real star is John Smith as Falstaff, Shakespeare's once and future comic rogue. The once and future icon of the puppet world, Elmo, is recognizable in just about every country on the planet.

See also: and, future, once

once and future

denoting someone or something that is eternal, enduring, or constant.

This expression comes from T. H. White's The Once and Future King ( 1958 ), a series of novels about the Arthurian legends.

See also: and, future, once