archaic

American  

[ahr-key-ik] / ɑrˈkeɪ ɪk /

adjective

1. marked by the characteristics of an earlier period; antiquated.

   an archaic manner; an archaic notion.

2. (of a linguistic form) commonly used in an earlier time but rare in present-day usage except to suggest the older time, as in religious rituals or historical novels. Examples.

   thou; wast; methinks; forsooth.

3. forming the earliest stage; prior to full development.

   the archaic period of psychoanalytic research.

4. (often initial capital letter) pertaining to or designating the style of the fine arts, especially painting and sculpture, developed in Greece from the middle 7th to the early 5th century b.c., chiefly characterized by an increased emphasis on the human figure in action, naturalistic proportions and anatomical structure, simplicity of volumes, forms, or design, and the evolution of a definitive style for the narrative treatment of subject matter.

5. primitive; ancient; old.

   an archaic form of animal life.

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archaic British  

/ ɑːˈkeɪɪk /

adjective

1. belonging to or characteristic of a much earlier period; ancient

2. out of date; antiquated

   an archaic prison system

3. (of idiom, vocabulary, etc) characteristic of an earlier period of a language and not in ordinary use

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Usage

Archaic is used as a label in this dictionary for terms and definitions that were current roughly as late as 1900 but are now employed only as conscious archaisms, as described and exemplified in definition 2 above. An archaic term is generally more recognizable, as when encountered in literature, than one labeled Obsolete.

Other Word Forms

• pseudoarchaic
  adjective
• archaically
  adverb
• pseudoarchaically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of archaic

First recorded in 1825–35; from French archaïque, or directly from Greek archaïkós “antiquated, old-fashioned,” equivalent to archaî(os) “old” + -ikos adjective suffix; see origin at -ic

Explanation

If you use the adjective archaic you are referring to something outmoded, belonging to an earlier period. Rotary phones and cassette players already seem so archaic! The adjective archaic means something that belongs to an earlier or antiquated time. It can also mean something that is outdated but can still be found in the present and therefore could seem out of place. The word comes from archaic (i.e., ancient) Greek, archaikos, and literally means "from Classical Greek culture," though its meaning has broadened as it's been used in English.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

archaic

When the second-largest U.S. bank discloses its quarterly financial results, analysts have to decipher the lexicon of CEO Brian Moynihan, riddled with obscure, archaic words fit for novelists or judges of bygone centuries.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

The researchers concluded that these sections came from two separate archaic lineages that interbred with other groups at different times.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026

“There is a well documented and rather archaic disdain for my profession,” said Nils Busch-Petersen, head of the Berlin and Brandenburg retailers’ association.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

Helen adds that despite "archaic notions" still being attached to endometriosis, a greater awareness is a positive to both diagnosed and undiagnosed people.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

Neanderthals and archaic Homo sapiens probably also had a hard time talking behind each other’s backs—a much maligned ability which is in fact essential for cooperation in large numbers.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Related Words

• ancient
• antiquated
• obsolete
• old-fashioned
• outmoded
• primitive