once

Once is a common English word used as an adverb meaning one time in the past and as a conjunction or to indicate a prior occurrence. It is also used as a title for various works in literature, film, and music.

The best-known use is the 2007 Irish musical romance film Once, written and directed by John Carney. Set in Dublin, the story follows a Dublin street musician and a Czech immigrant as they collaborate on music and forge a close personal connection. The film is characterized by its naturalistic style, handheld cinematography, and a score built around original songs performed by the lead actors, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. The song Falling Slowly, written for the film, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008. The film and its music received widespread critical acclaim and helped popularize a contemporary, folk-influenced approach to storytelling.

Beyond the film, the word Once appears as a simple descriptor in many contexts and is used as a recurring title in various works of fiction and non-fiction. It is common in catalogs and bibliographies to see entries beginning with Once to denote a single past occurrence or to indicate a former state.