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 ( antique ) + -itās -ity

Example Sentences

Appalled by the incomprehensible waste—Hiroshima was still weeks away—he searched for precedent in myth and antiquity, alighting at once on the North African city of Carthage.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

From Barron's

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

The overtones of Roman sculpture probably owe something to Bellini’s close relationship with his brother-in-law Andrea Mantegna, known for sharply drawn images, informed by his study of antiquity.

From The Wall Street Journal

In the office of Burnham & Root, Roth studied architectural books and drawings of antiquities, learning the grammar of a classicism he later used with such vigor in New York.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• antique
• relic