antiquity

American  

[an-tik-wi-tee] / ænˈtɪk wɪ ti /

noun

• antiquities
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• preantiquity
  noun
• subantiquity
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• antiquities
  plural

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

See Examples For:

antiquity antiquities

Egyptians in antiquity engaged in sword combat for warfare, but also for competition — Romans utilized swords in gladiator events, rituals and duels.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

It isn’t some priceless antiquity that needs to be preserved only by faithful repetition and emulation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

"The new finds of Homo teeth from 2.6 -- 2.8 million year old sediments -- reported in this paper -- confirms the antiquity of our lineage," said Brian Villmoare, lead author and ASU alumnus.

From Science Daily ● May 16, 2026

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

Because of this unusual clarity and because Howard meticulously documented his work there, even the most skeptical archaeologists quickly accepted the existence and antiquity of the Clovis culture.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Sarkis Khoury, head of antiquities at Lebanon's culture ministry, told AFP the war had forced archaeologists to switch tack.

From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 2026

"It's one of the first cases where we can see the whole discussion about restitution of antiquities that were illegally exported, until some were returned to Turkey," Alexandridis said.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026

But Rolf von Kiaer, a friend and antiquities dealer, wrote in a tribute that Gradel was “completely uninterested in profit but driven by a desire that an overlooked object should be properly appreciated once more.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

He said he had told them of his suspicions that he - and other antiquities dealers he knew - had unintentionally bought items online that actually came from their collection.

From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026

A prosperous art dealer in Florence, Geri advertised in newspapers across Europe, looking for art and antiquities.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

Related Words

• antique
• relic