ancient

¹

[ eyn-shuhnt ]

adjective

1. of or in time long past, especially before the end of the Western Roman Empire a.d. 476:

   ancient history.

   Synonyms: early

   Antonyms: recent

2. dating from a remote period; of great age: ancient trees.

   ancient rocks;

   ancient trees.

   Synonyms: immemorial, age-old

   Antonyms: recent, modern, new

3. very old; aged:

   She's fifteen, which is ancient for a dog that size.

4. being old in wisdom and experience; venerable.
5. old-fashioned or antique.

   Synonyms: vintage, retro, old-time, old-fashioned, olden, antique

noun

1. a person who lived in ancient times.
2. one of the classical writers of antiquity.
3. a very old or aged person, especially if venerable or patriarchal.
4. ancients,
   1. Usually the ancients. the civilized peoples, nations, or cultures of antiquity, as the Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, and Egyptians.
   2. the writers, artists, and philosophers of ancient times, especially those of Greece and Rome.

ancient

²

[ eyn-shuhnt ]

noun

, Obsolete.

1. the bearer of a flag.
2. a flag, banner, or standard; ensign.

ancient

¹

/ ˈeɪnʃənt /

noun

1. a flag or other banner; standard
2. a standard-bearer; ensign

ancient

²

/ ˈeɪnʃənt /

adjective

1. dating from very long ago

   ancient ruins

2. very old; aged
3. of the far past, esp before the collapse of the Western Roman Empire (476 ad ) Compare medieval modern
4. law having existed since before the time of legal memory

noun

1. often plural a member of a civilized nation in the ancient world, esp a Greek, Roman, or Hebrew
2. often plural one of the classical authors of Greek or Roman antiquity
3. archaic.
   an old man

Derived Forms

• ˈancientness, noun

Other Words From

• an·cient·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ancient¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English auncien, from Anglo-French; Old French ancien, from unattested Vulgar Latin antiānus, equivalent to Latin ante(ā) “before”+ -ānus adjective suffix; late Middle English forms with -t- developed by confusion with the present participle ending -nt; -an, ante-, -ent

Origin of ancient²

First recorded in 1550–60; variant of ensign by confusion with ancient ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ancient¹

C16: changed from ensign through the influence of ancient ¹

Origin of ancient²

C14: from Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin anteanus (unattested), from Latin ante before

Synonym Study

Ancient, antiquated, antique, old-fashioned refer to something dating from the past. Ancient implies existence or first occurrence in a distant past: an ancient custom. Antiquated connotes something too old or no longer useful: an antiquated building. Antique suggests a curious or pleasing quality in something old: antique furniture. Old-fashioned may disparage something as being out of date or may approve something old as being superior: an old-fashioned hat; old-fashioned courtesy.

Example Sentences

But the last national figure to wield ancient personal authority in an explicitly religious way was Robert F. Kennedy.

From The Daily Beast

Historical justifications for most modern celebrations can be found in the ancient world.

From The Daily Beast

Ancient Romans exchanged gifts of figs and honey and would make sure to work part of the day as a good omen for the coming year.

From The Daily Beast

The ancient Egyptian festival of Wepet Renpet (“opening of the year”) was not just a time of rebirth—it was dedicated to drinking.

From The Daily Beast

It can be hard to wrap your head around the problems facing the continent because they might seem ancient to us.

From The Daily Beast

I believe that these are ideal characters constructed from still more ancient legends and traditions.

From Project Gutenberg

Elyon is the name of an ancient Phœnician god, slain by his son El, no doubt the “first-born of death” in Job xviii.

From Project Gutenberg

Something remote and ancient stirred in her, something that was not of herself To-day, something half primitive, half barbaric.

From Project Gutenberg

When Cortez made conquest of Mexico in 1519 smoking seemed to be a common as well as an ancient custom among the natives.

From Project Gutenberg

Long before that, however, the sun had come back to gladden the Polar regions, and break up the reign of ancient night.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• age-old
• antique
• archaic
• hoary
• old-fashioned
• timeworn
• venerable