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

"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

Antisemitism and its derivative tropes have been constant throughout history, appearing in some form in nearly every society in which Jews have lived since antiquity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026

But Rome owes to him the most famous foundation myth of antiquity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026

That the statue survived at all is exceptional: in antiquity, bronze was a valuable raw material routinely melted down for weapons, coins or everyday objects.

From Barron's ● Mar. 20, 2026

A historian, someone who can explain its importance, its antiquity.

From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin

"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

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

Turkey is now seeking the repatriation of other antiquities taken during the Ottoman era: an ancient marble torso called the "Old Fisherman" from Berlin, and dozens of Iznik tiles held at France's Louvre museum.

From Barron's ● Mar. 20, 2026

Visitors to the Getty Villa in Los Angeles—the oceanside site of the J. Paul Getty Museum’s antiquities collection—have good reason to curse Theodosius as they gaze upon the sublime portrait of Isidora, painted around A.D.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026

A few months later, the Getty’s curator of antiquities, Marion True, wrote a long, glowing account of the museum’s acquisition for the art journal The Burlington Magazine.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• antique
• relic