antique

American  

[an-teek] / ænˈtik /

adjective

1. of or belonging to the past; not modern.

   Synonyms:

   archaic, bygone

2. dating from a period long ago.

   antique furniture.

   Synonyms:

   obsolescent, obsolete, old

3. noting or pertaining to automobiles approximately 25 years old or more.

4. in the tradition, fashion, or style of an earlier period; old-fashioned; antiquated.

5. of or belonging to the ancient Greeks and Romans.

6. (of paper) neither calendered nor coated and having a rough surface.

7. ancient.

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noun

1. 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.

2. the antique style, usually Greek or Roman, especially in art.

3. Printing. a style of type.

verb (used with object)

antiqued, antiquing

1. to make or finish (something, especially furniture) in imitation of antiques.

2. to emboss (an image, design, letters, or the like) on paper or fabric.

verb (used without object)

antiqued, antiquing

1. to shop for or collect antiques.

   She spent her vacation antiquing in Boston.

antique British  

/ ænˈtiːk /

noun

1. 1. 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

   2. ( as modifier )

      an antique shop

2. any object made in an earlier period

3. the style of ancient art, esp Greek or Roman art, or an example of it

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adjective

1. made in or in the style of an earlier period

2. of or belonging to the distant past, esp of or in the style of ancient Greece or Rome

3. informal old-fashioned; out-of-date

4. archaic aged or venerable

5. (of paper) not calendered or coated; having a rough surface

verb

1. (tr) to give an antique appearance to

Related Words

See ancient ¹.

Other Word Forms

• antiquely
  adverb
• antiqueness
  noun
• pseudoantique
  adjective
• quasi-antique
  adjective
• subantique
  adjective
• subantiquely
  adverb
• subantiqueness
  noun

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.

Example Sentences

Next to the 2-year-old sofa is an antique Tiger Oak hutch from the Santa Monica Antique and Vintage Market.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2026

States across the U.S. have long offered historic or antique plates, and 25-year rules are common, said Steve Moskowitz, chief executive of the Antique Automobile Club of America in Hershey, Pa.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

Antique ceiling fans with wooden paddles spun picturesquely from the high ceiling, while two well-worn, sturdy wood rocking chairs awaited two regulars by an ornate, ancient wood-burning stove.

From Seattle Times • May 21, 2024

Classic American cars that one would expect to see in museums in the United States raced in the streets of Havana on Sunday during the annual Classic and Antique Cars Rally.

From Washington Times • Dec. 4, 2023

Someone started the rumor that it had belonged to royalty and had been smuggled out via donkey cart across Germany until it eventually wound up in the Magnolia Antique Store on Fairview Street.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

Related Words

• antiquity
• artifact
• heirloom
• relic