archaic

[ahr-key-ik]

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.

archaic

/ 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 out of date; antiquated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

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

• archaically adverb
• pseudoarchaic adjective
• pseudoarchaically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of archaic¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of archaic¹

C19: from French archaïque, from Greek arkhaïkos, from arkhaios ancient, from arkhē beginning, from arkhein to begin

Example Sentences

How much of the archaic lingo below can you decipher?

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Charities have long claimed the method of council tax debt enforcement in England punishes people who are genuinely struggling to pay - while the government says it is taking action against "archaic and aggressive" practices.

Read more on BBC

These days, any festival without a decent lineup of smaller, independent films would be rightfully considered archaic.

Read more on Salon

He produces an appealing tension in the simultaneous presentation of archaic cultural norms alongside issues that feel as urgent as ever.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Ms Malone said she was relieved and gratified to know officers were challenging "archaic beliefs and questioning the integrity of those responsible for administering policy and procedure".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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