archaism

American  

[ahr-kee-iz-uhm, -key-] / ˈɑr kiˌɪz əm, -keɪ- /

Also archaicism

noun

1. something archaic, as a word or expression.

2. the use of what is archaic, as in literature or art.

   The archaism of the novelist's style provided a sense of the period.

3. the survival or presence of something from the past.

   The art of letter writing is becoming an archaism.

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archaism British  

/ ˈɑːkɪˌɪzəm, -keɪ- /

noun

1. the adoption or imitation of something archaic, such as a word or an artistic or literary style

2. an archaic word, expression, style, etc

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• archaist
  noun
• archaistic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of archaism

1635–45; earlier archaismus < Latin < Greek archaïsmós. See archaize, -ism

Explanation

An archaism is a word that's so old-fashioned that hardly anyone uses it anymore. Forsooth, you'll encounter many archaisms when you read Shakespeare — or when you go to the local Renaissance Faire. There's a difference between an archaism and a word that's obsolete, or so out of date that no one uses it. Archaisms aren't dead, they're just archaic, a bit outmoded and best suited to literary or philosophical writing. Shakespeare's plays are full of archaisms, and so are most editions of the Bible. If you prefer to call your friends thou and thee instead of you, you're a fan of archaisms.

Related Words

• antique
• antiquity
• artifact
• curio
• evidence
• fragment
• keepsake
• memento
• monument
• remains
• remnant
• souvenir