antique

American  

[an-teek] / ænˈtik /

adjective

1. of or belonging to the past; not modern.

   Synonyms:

   archaic, bygone

2. dating from a period long ago.

   antique furniture.

   Synonyms:

   obsolescent, obsolete, old

3. noting or pertaining to automobiles approximately 25 years old or more.

4. in the tradition, fashion, or style of an earlier period; old-fashioned; antiquated.

5. of or belonging to the ancient Greeks and Romans.

6. (of paper) neither calendered nor coated and having a rough surface.

7. ancient.

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noun

1. any work of art, piece of furniture, decorative object, or the like, created or produced in a former period, or, according to U.S. customs laws, 100 years before date of purchase.

2. the antique style, usually Greek or Roman, especially in art.

3. Printing. a style of type.

verb (used with object)

antiqued, antiquing

1. to make or finish (something, especially furniture) in imitation of antiques.

2. to emboss (an image, design, letters, or the like) on paper or fabric.

verb (used without object)

antiqued, antiquing

1. to shop for or collect antiques.

   She spent her vacation antiquing in Boston.

antique British  

/ ænˈtiːk /

noun

1. 1. a decorative object, piece of furniture, or other work of art created in an earlier period, that is collected and valued for its beauty, workmanship, and age

   2. ( as modifier )

      an antique shop

2. any object made in an earlier period

3. the style of ancient art, esp Greek or Roman art, or an example of it

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adjective

1. made in or in the style of an earlier period

2. of or belonging to the distant past, esp of or in the style of ancient Greece or Rome

3. informal old-fashioned; out-of-date

4. archaic aged or venerable

5. (of paper) not calendered or coated; having a rough surface

verb

1. (tr) to give an antique appearance to

Related Words

See ancient ¹.

Other Word Forms

• antiquely adverb
• antiqueness noun
• pseudoantique adjective
• quasi-antique adjective
• subantique adjective
• subantiquely adverb
• subantiqueness noun

Etymology

Origin of antique

1520–30; earlier also anticke (< Middle French antique ) < Latin antīiquus, antīicus in front, existing earler, ancient; antic, posticum

Example Sentences

But most beat it back to the city without venturing to neighboring Colares, a verdant region of cypress and eucalyptus, with a generous supply of fruit stands and antique shops, gradually sloping to lesser-known beaches.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

He switched to selling antiques and collectibles, renting space in antique malls, and got back into used books from there.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

Andrew - who had always been a big history buff - also began compulsively buying antique pens, pottery and cricket memorabilia.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

Other well-known features in the Grand Emperor include an antique gold carriage, which "exhibits the fine craftsmanship of 18th-century Europe", according to the hotel's website.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

The front wall was blown out, but by some freaky coincidence, her carved wooden dresser full of her antique china collection was left perfectly intact.

From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell

Related Words

• antiquity
• artifact
• heirloom
• relic