classic

American  

[klas-ik] / ˈklæs ɪk /

adjective

1. of the first or highest quality, class, or rank.

   a classic piece of work.

2. serving as a standard, model, or guide.

   the classic method of teaching arithmetic.

3. of or relating to Greek and Roman antiquity, especially with reference to literature and art.

4. modeled upon or imitating the style or thought of ancient Greece and Rome.

   The 17th and 18th centuries were obsessed with classic ideals.

5. of or adhering to an established set of artistic or scientific standards or methods.

   a classic example of mid-Victorian architecture.

6. basic; fundamental.

   the classic rules of warfare.

7. of enduring interest, quality, or style.

   a classic design; classic clothes.

8. of literary or historical renown.

   the classic haunts of famous writers.

9. traditional or typical.

   a classic comedy routine.

10. definitive.

    the classic reference work on ornithology.

11. of or relating to automobiles distinguished by elegant styling, outstanding engineering, and fine workmanship that were built between about 1925 and 1948.

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noun

1. an author or a literary work of the first rank, especially one of demonstrably enduring quality.

2. an author or literary work of ancient Greece or Rome.

3. (the) classics, the literature and languages of ancient Greece and Rome.

4. an artist or artistic production considered a standard.

5. a work that is honored as definitive in its field.

   His handbook on mushrooms is a classic.

6. something noteworthy of its kind and worth remembering.

   His reply was a classic.

7. an article, as of clothing, unchanging in style.

   Her suit was a simple classic.

8. a typical or traditional event, especially one that is considered to be highly prestigious or the most important of its kind.

   The World Series is the fall classic of baseball.

9. Archaic. a classicist.

classic British  

/ ˈklæsɪk /

adjective

1. of the highest class, esp in art or literature

2. serving as a standard or model of its kind; definitive

3. adhering to an established set of rules or principles in the arts or sciences

   a classic proof

4. characterized by simplicity, balance, regularity, and purity of form; classical

5. of lasting interest or significance

6. continuously in fashion because of its simple and basic style

   a classic day dress

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noun

1. an author, artist, or work of art of the highest excellence

2. a creation or work considered as definitive

3. horse racing

   1. any of the five principal races for three-year-old horses in Britain, namely the One Thousand Guineas, Two Thousand Guineas, Derby, Oaks, and Saint Leger

   2. a race equivalent to any of these in other countries

classic Cultural  

1. A descriptive term for a period in Western music, encompassing roughly the last half of the eighteenth century, that includes the works of Franz Josef Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the early works of Ludwig van Beethoven, among other composers.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preclassic
  adjective
• nonclassic
  adjective
• quasi-classic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of classic

First recorded in 1605–15; (from French classique ), from Latin classicus “belonging to a class, belonging to the first or highest class,” equivalent to class(is) “class” + -icus adjective suffix; see class, -ic

Explanation

The noun classic describes something that's very high quality, particularly if it has lasting value. The pristine Model T Ford that you keep in your garage is a classic, but the beat-up old clunker you drive every day is not. You can also use the adjective classic to describe something that relates to ancient Greece or Rome. You can enjoy the classic Greek-style columns on the outside of your house but still appreciate the modern plumbing on the inside of it. Classic also means excellent, of recognized authority, or definitive. Classic literature, for example, includes that written by authors like Mark Twain and Jane Austen.

Example Sentences

Some looked almost identical to the classic “toothpick grooves” of fossil humans, complete with fine parallel scratches and tapering shapes.

From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026

At an evening reception, Macron took to the microphone and Pashinyan to the drums for a rendition of "La Boheme", the 1965 classic by the late Charles Aznavour, a singer beloved in both countries.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

Bayern may have gone out against Paris St-Germain in a classic two-leg Champions League semi-final, but this cannot take the sheen off Kane's stunning season.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

Bottle bio: Produced in Galicia, Spain, this is a classic Rías Baixas Albariño with aromas of lemon zest, green apple, white flowers and oyster shell.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

Behind the classic building facades of brick and stone was some of the most intricate technology known to man, all developed to help facilitate the continuation of the Glitch Initiative.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Related Words

• simple
• typical
• usual