ancient

[ eyn-shuhnt ]

/ ˈeɪn ʃənt /

See synonyms for: ancient / ancients / ancientness 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: She's fifteen, which is ancient for a dog that size.

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,

Usually the ancients . the civilized peoples, nations, or cultures of antiquity, as the Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, and Egyptians.
the writers, artists, and philosophers of ancient times, especially those of Greece and Rome.

ANTONYMS FOR ancient

2, 3 new, modern.

See antonyms for ancient on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of ancient

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English auncien, from Anglo-French; Old French ancien, from unattested Vulgar Latin antiānus, equivalent to Latin ante(ā) “before” (see ante-) + -ānus adjective suffix (see -an); late Middle English forms with -t- developed by confusion with the present participle ending -nt (see -ent)

synonym study for ancient

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 Old-fashioned may disparage something as being out of date or may approve something old as being superior: an old-fashioned hat; old-fashioned courtesy.

OTHER WORDS FROM ancient

an·cient·ness, noun

Words nearby ancient

anchylose, anchylostomiasis, Ancienne-Lorette, ancienne noblesse, ancien régime, ancient, Ancient Greek, ancient history, ancient lights, anciently, ancient monument

Definition for ancient (2 of 2)

ancient²

[ eyn-shuhnt ]

/ ˈeɪn ʃənt /

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. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for ancient

Regenerative agriculture dates back at least to biblical times, when the ancients practiced rudimentary crop rotation by letting their fields lie fallow in order to keep the soil rich with nutrients.
Allbirds is stepping up for the planet—by treading lightly on it|sheilamarikar|September 21, 2020|Fortune
George Poinar, an entomologist and paleontologist at Oregon State University in Corvallis who described the ancient cricket, stands by his conclusions.
A tiny crustacean fossil contains roughly 100-million-year-old giant sperm|Curtis Segarra|September 21, 2020|Science News
The evidence of ancient cricket sperm is less clear, he says.
A tiny crustacean fossil contains roughly 100-million-year-old giant sperm|Curtis Segarra|September 21, 2020|Science News
Microraptor, which lived some 120 million years ago alongside ancient birds, is distantly related to Aves.
Readers ask about Microraptors, an X-ray map of the sky and more|Science News Staff|September 20, 2020|Science News

Those developing embryos were reverting into ants that looked more like their ancient endosymbiont-free ancestors.
How Two Became One: Origins of a Mysterious Symbiosis Found|Viviane Callier|September 9, 2020|Quanta Magazine
Historical justifications for most modern celebrations can be found in the ancient world.
New Year’s Eve, Babylon Style|Candida Moss|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
Our mood becomes so mediæval as to almost make the ancient stained glass seem contemporary.
Stained Glass Tours in France|Charles Hitchcock Sherrill
It is impossible to place the ancient town of Tibet accurately.
The Gates of India|Thomas Holdich
All the ancient stories told of him by Whig enemies were revived, and believed by those who had long treated them with contempt.
Martin Van Buren|Edward M. Shepard
One of the most ancient arithmetics was written by the mathematician Record, who lived from the year 1500 to 1558.
Child Life in Colonial Days|Alice Morse Earle
Take up the love poems, elegies, fairy tales and prayers of the ancient Egyptians.
The Literature of Ecstasy|Albert Mordell

British Dictionary definitions for ancient (1 of 2)

ancient¹

/ (ˈeɪnʃənt) /

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 forms of ancient

ancientness, noun

Word Origin for ancient

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

British Dictionary definitions for ancient (2 of 2)

ancient²

/ (ˈeɪnʃənt) /

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

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Definition for ancient (2 of 2)

noun Obsolete.

Origin of ancient

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adjective

noun

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noun archaic

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ancient

adjective

noun

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Origin of ancient

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OTHER WORDS FROM ancient

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Definition for ancient (2 of 2)

noun Obsolete.

Origin of ancient

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British Dictionary definitions for ancient (1 of 2)

adjective

noun

Derived forms of ancient

Word Origin for ancient

British Dictionary definitions for ancient (2 of 2)

noun archaic

Word Origin for ancient