antique
Americanadjective
-
of or belonging to the past; not modern.
-
dating from a period long ago.
antique furniture.
- Synonyms:
- obsolescent, obsolete, old
-
noting or pertaining to automobiles approximately 25 years old or more.
-
in the tradition, fashion, or style of an earlier period; old-fashioned; antiquated.
-
of or belonging to the ancient Greeks and Romans.
-
(of paper) neither calendered nor coated and having a rough surface.
noun
-
antiques
plural
-
any work of art, piece of furniture, decorative object, or the like, created or produced in a former period, or, according to U.S. customs laws, 100 years before date of purchase.
-
the antique style, usually Greek or Roman, especially in art.
-
Printing. a style of type.
verb (used with object)
-
antiques,
present (3rd person singular)
-
antiqued,
past participle, past
-
antiquing
present participle
-
to make or finish (something, especially furniture) in imitation of antiques.
-
to emboss (an image, design, letters, or the like) on paper or fabric.
verb (used without object)
-
antiques,
present (3rd person singular)
-
antiqued,
past participle, past
-
antiquing
present participle
noun
-
-
a decorative object, piece of furniture, or other work of art created in an earlier period, that is collected and valued for its beauty, workmanship, and age
-
( as modifier )
an antique shop
-
-
any object made in an earlier period
-
the style of ancient art, esp Greek or Roman art, or an example of it
adjective
-
made in or in the style of an earlier period
-
of or belonging to the distant past, esp of or in the style of ancient Greece or Rome
-
informal old-fashioned; out-of-date
-
archaic aged or venerable
-
(of paper) not calendered or coated; having a rough surface
verb
Synonym Usage
See ancient 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
antiquenessnoun
-
subantiquenessnoun
-
pseudoantiqueadjective
-
quasi-antiqueadjective
-
subantiqueadjective
-
antiquelyadverb
-
subantiquelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
antiquesimple
-
antiquessimple
-
have antiquedperfect
-
has antiquedperfect
-
am antiquingprogressive
-
are antiquingprogressive
-
is antiquingprogressive
-
have been antiquingperfect progressive
-
has been antiquingperfect progressive
Past
-
antiquedsimple
-
had antiquedperfect
-
was antiquingprogressive
-
were antiquingprogressive
-
had been antiquingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of antique
1520–30; earlier also anticke (< Middle French antique ) < Latin antīiquus, antīicus in front, existing earler, ancient; cf. antic, posticum
Explanation
An antique is an old-fashioned thing, like a lamp from the sixties. Anything antique is old or at least old-ish. When you see the word antique, you know you're not going to hear about anything new or young. An antique is a nice, old piece of furniture, that's usually been well taken care of and costs more than something new. Shopping for antiques is called antiquing. Outside of antique shops, calling anything antique means it's out-of-date and useless — so if you wanted to be mean, you could call your grandparents antiques.
Vocabulary lists containing antique
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It also featured what we’d now call a “vintage” kitchen, featuring antique appliances.
From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026
The red and white Victorian farmhouse had belonged to their friend, the late Steve Baker, who served as the city’s longtime historian and had packed the property with thousands of antique relics over his lifetime.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Vintage planters and awnings as well as antique light fixtures and window curtains are being incorporated into the street fronts.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Many people want their estate-planning needs handled by their financial adviser rather than an attorney, as they are more focused on protecting their assets than deciding who gets their antique china cabinet.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
“Some tiles and antique pottery that he bought in Persia. What was delivered was not what he had purchased. There has been a long, vexatious correspondence on the subject.”
From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie
Burrell’s family said in the statement announcing the antiques enthusiast’s death that the cancer community provided “so much comfort and strength to her in her darkest moments.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Egglestone, who has been in the antiques business for more than 25 years, said the comedian was a pleasure to be around, and the show had boosted visitor numbers.
From BBC ● May 6, 2026
When I had to sell my mother’s house to fund her Alzheimer’s care, I stored all of her antiques, scrapbooks, photos and other family heirlooms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
Julian lords over not one but two swanky adjoining townhouses stuffed with antiques.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026
Like, last year, some old witch died and her tea set was sold to an antiques shop.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
Of course, the only caveat is watching the slick show in the antiqued DVD format.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 1, 2021
Do you think it’s OK to have a low-key party to celebrate our child, or is this an antiqued ordeal that needs to go?
From Slate ● Jan. 31, 2021
Designed by Stephen Rieman and Mark Krasne, the condo features antiqued mirrors, hand-stenciled doors and a wet bar.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2019
Matte, polished, antiqued and brushed give home decorators many options to provide interest and depth.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 6, 2019
With glasses, and an unbelted Mother Hubbard gown made out of antiqued gold cloth, she might have passed for a habitué of the pseudo-artistic colony that made its headquarters not far away from her domicile.
From Apron-Strings by Eleanor Gates
For the “Yellowjackets” star, an ideal Sunday includes antiquing in Sherman Oaks, tea at the Museum of Jurassic Technology, record shopping at Mount Analog and lots of scrolling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2025
Two lamps weren’t just two lamps, but the best outing she spent antiquing with my grandmother before she passed away from Alzheimer’s disease.
From Slate ● Aug. 5, 2024
A one-of-a-kind pillow on the bed was crafted from an antique tapestry discovered during an antiquing adventures.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 7, 2023
“My houses have always been my creative, shopping and antiquing outlets — they just combine everything I like to do,” she explains.
From New York Times ● Jun. 30, 2021
Occasionally she disappears for the day, to go antiquing in the surrounding towns.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
