antediluvian

[ an-tee-di-loo-vee-uhn ]

adjective

1. of or belonging to the period before the Biblical Flood.
2. very old, old-fashioned, or out of date; antiquated; primitive:

   antediluvian ideas.

noun

1. a person who lived before the Biblical Flood.
2. a very old or old-fashioned person or thing.

antediluvian

/ ˌæntɪdɪˈluːvɪən; -daɪ- /

adjective

1. belonging to the ages before the biblical Flood (Genesis 7, 8)
2. old-fashioned or antiquated

noun

1. an antediluvian person or thing

Word History and Origins

Origin of antediluvian¹

First recorded in 1640–50; ante- + Latin dīluvi(um) “a flood, deluge” + -an; deluge

Word History and Origins

Origin of antediluvian¹

C17: from ante- + Latin dīluvium flood

Example Sentences

In the best of times the permitting process is slightly antediluvian.

From Washington Blade

Didn't Linehan and Mathews know they were perpetuating antediluvian blah blah blah... You know the drill.

From The Daily Beast

Put aside an invincibly ignorant Rick Perry or the antediluvian Ron Paul, who would abolish the Fed altogether.

From The Daily Beast

“Through Cain came all the smart, educated people down to the antediluvian flood—the intellectuals, bible colleges,” Branham wrote.

From The Daily Beast

But carriages, dog-carts and antediluvian flys began to pour into The Park.

From Project Gutenberg

But I also find the petrified vertebra of an antediluvian animal upon which the Trojans have carved a large owls head.

From Project Gutenberg

And we may fairly surmise that this Accadian culture (if such it be) is reflected from antediluvian tradition.

From Project Gutenberg

Been a long ride for ye, ain't it, ye old antediluvian handful of animated carpet-tacks?

From Project Gutenberg

I felt as if we were inside the skeleton of some antediluvian monster whose huge black ribs completely enfolded us.

From Project Gutenberg