antiquity

American  

[an-tik-wi-tee] / ænˈtɪk wɪ ti /

noun

plural

antiquities

1. the quality of being ancient; ancientness.

   a bowl of great antiquity.

2. ancient times; former ages.

   the splendor of antiquity.

3. the period of history before the Middle Ages.

4. the peoples, nations, tribes, or cultures of ancient times.

5. Usually antiquities. something belonging to or remaining from ancient times, as monuments, relics, or customs.

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antiquity British  

/ ænˈtɪkwɪtɪ /

noun

1. the quality of being ancient or very old

   a vase of great antiquity

2. the far distant past, esp the time preceding the Middle Ages in Europe

3. the people of ancient times collectively; the ancients

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Other Word Forms

• preantiquity
  noun
• subantiquity
  noun

Etymology

Origin of antiquity

1350–1400; Middle English antiquite < Anglo-French < Latin antīquitās, equivalent to antīqu ( us ) old ( see antique) + -itās -ity

Explanation

If you find an antiquity, call a museum: you just found something very old. Antiquity can also mean the idea of oldness. The word antique should be a clue to the meaning of this word, which refers to things that are extremely old or ancient. This isn't grandparent old — this is really old, like hundreds or even thousands of years old. People also use this word to compare old ways of doing things to new ways: you could say an old-fashioned idea is an antiquity that goes against modernity (newer ideas and ways of doing things). Antiquity can also mean the time before the Middle Ages.

Example Sentences

And yet here comes Simon Armitage, the poet laureate of the U.K., with his stunning new verse translation, not as a vandal of antiquity but as a lucid accomplice to its endurance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

As is so often the case with subjects about classical antiquity, some bits of evidence are more complete than others.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

But what he really wants is the katana recognised not as an antiquity but as a "masterpiece" of contemporary art.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

In 1274, the Roman Catholic Church questioned the order's legitimacy because it had been founded after 1215 and lacked a continuous presence dating back to late antiquity.

From Science Daily • Feb. 2, 2026

Because Dillehay’s team had failed to identify properly the location of the stone tools in Monte Verde, Fiedel said, their antiquity was up to question; they could have been in a recent sediment layer.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• antique
• relic