ancient

[eyn-shuhnt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR ancient ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of or in time long past, especially before the end of the Western Roman Empire a.d. 476: ancient history.

dating from a remote period; of great age: ancient rocks; ancient trees.

very old; aged: an ancient folk tale.

being old in wisdom and experience; venerable.

old-fashioned or antique.

noun

a person who lived in ancient times.

one of the classical writers of antiquity.

a very old or aged person, especially if venerable or patriarchal.

ancients,

the civilized peoples, nations, or cultures of antiquity, as the Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, and Egyptians (usually preceded by the).
the writers, artists, and philosophers of ancient times, especially those of Greece and Rome.

Origin of ancient

1300–50; Middle English auncien < Anglo-French; Old French ancien < Vulgar Latin *antiānus, equivalent to Latin ante(ā) before (see ante-) + -ānus -an; late Middle English forms with -t- developed by confusion with the present participle ending -nt (see -ent)

Related formsan·cient·ness, noun

Synonym study

2, 3. Ancient, antiquated, antique, old-fashioned refer to something dating from the past. Ancient implies existence or first occurrence in a distant past: an ancient custom. Antiquated connotes something too old or no longer useful: an antiquated building. Antique suggests a curious or pleasing quality in something old: antique furniture. Old-fashioned may disparage something as being out of date or may approve something old as being superior: an old-fashioned hat; old-fashioned courtesy.

Antonyms for ancient

2, 3. new, modern.

ancient

[eyn-shuh nt]

noun Obsolete.

the bearer of a flag.

a flag, banner, or standard; ensign.

Origin of ancient

1545–55; variant of ensign by confusion with ancient¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for ancient

antique, age-old, venerable, hoary, old-fashioned, timeworn, archaic, antediluvian, bygone, elderly, fossil, relic, aged, remote, oldie, antiquated, early, moth-eaten, obsolete, older

Examples from the Web for ancient

Contemporary Examples of ancient

Historical justifications for most modern celebrations can be found in the ancient world.
New Year’s Eve, Babylon Style
Candida Moss
December 31, 2014
Ancient Romans exchanged gifts of figs and honey and would make sure to work part of the day as a good omen for the coming year.
New Year’s Eve, Babylon Style
Candida Moss
December 31, 2014
The ancient Egyptian festival of Wepet Renpet (“opening of the year”) was not just a time of rebirth—it was dedicated to drinking.
New Year’s Eve, Babylon Style
Candida Moss
December 31, 2014
So, for that matter, was Gladiator, the previous foray into ancient legend by director Ridley Scott.
Meet Moses the Swashbuckling Israelite
James Romm
December 14, 2014
Smiles, or lack thereof, did not bring down the Ancient Regime, of course.
The French Court’s Royal Ban on Smiles
William O’Connor
December 14, 2014

Historical Examples of ancient

The ancient priest who drew it must have placed it there for a definite purpose.
Ancient Man
Hendrik Willem van Loon
So far, the story of ancient man has been the record of a wonderful achievement.
Ancient Man
Hendrik Willem van Loon
All the systems of writing of the ancient people of Asia had one thing in common.
Ancient Man
Hendrik Willem van Loon
Giles was their “ancient” and had charge of the banner, nor could it be doubted that he had flourished.
The Armourer's Prentices
Charlotte M. Yonge
But Babylon was made into one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
Ancient Man
Hendrik Willem van Loon

British Dictionary definitions for ancient

ancient

adjective

dating from very long agoancient ruins

very old; aged

of the far past, esp before the collapse of the Western Roman Empire (476 ad)Compare medieval, modern

law having existed since before the time of legal memory

noun

(often plural) a member of a civilized nation in the ancient world, esp a Greek, Roman, or Hebrew

(often plural) one of the classical authors of Greek or Roman antiquity

archaic an old man

Derived Formsancientness, noun

Word Origin for ancient

C14: from Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin anteanus (unattested), from Latin ante before

ancient

noun archaic

a flag or other banner; standard

a standard-bearer; ensign

Word Origin for ancient

C16: changed from ensign through the influence of ancient 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for ancient

adj.

mid-14c., auncyen, from Old French ancien "old, long-standing, ancient," from Vulgar Latin *anteanus, literally "from before," adjectivization of Latin ante "before, in front of, against" (from PIE *anti "against," locative singular of *ant- "front, forehead;" see ante). The parasitic -t dates from 15c. by influence of words in -ent.

Specifically, in history, "belonging to the period before the fall of the Western Roman Empire" (and contrasted with medieval and modern). In English law, "from before the Norman Conquest." Ancient of Days is from Dan. vii:9. Related: Anciently.

"standard-bearer," 1550s, a corruption of ensign. Archaic, but preserved in Shakespeare's character Aunchient Pistoll in "Henry V."