classic

American  

[klas-ik] / ˈklæs ɪk /

adjective

1. of the first or highest quality, class, or rank.

   a classic piece of work.

2. serving as a standard, model, or guide.

   the classic method of teaching arithmetic.

3. of or relating to Greek and Roman antiquity, especially with reference to literature and art.

4. modeled upon or imitating the style or thought of ancient Greece and Rome.

   The 17th and 18th centuries were obsessed with classic ideals.

5. of or adhering to an established set of artistic or scientific standards or methods.

   a classic example of mid-Victorian architecture.

6. basic; fundamental.

   the classic rules of warfare.

7. of enduring interest, quality, or style.

   a classic design; classic clothes.

8. of literary or historical renown.

   the classic haunts of famous writers.

9. traditional or typical.

   a classic comedy routine.

10. definitive.

    the classic reference work on ornithology.

11. of or relating to automobiles distinguished by elegant styling, outstanding engineering, and fine workmanship that were built between about 1925 and 1948.

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noun

• classics
  plural

1. an author or a literary work of the first rank, especially one of demonstrably enduring quality.

2. an author or literary work of ancient Greece or Rome.

3. (the) classics, the literature and languages of ancient Greece and Rome.

4. an artist or artistic production considered a standard.

5. a work that is honored as definitive in its field.

   His handbook on mushrooms is a classic.

6. something noteworthy of its kind and worth remembering.

   His reply was a classic.

7. an article, as of clothing, unchanging in style.

   Her suit was a simple classic.

8. a typical or traditional event, especially one that is considered to be highly prestigious or the most important of its kind.

   The World Series is the fall classic of baseball.

9. Archaic. a classicist.

classic British  

/ ˈklæsɪk /

adjective

1. of the highest class, esp in art or literature

2. serving as a standard or model of its kind; definitive

3. adhering to an established set of rules or principles in the arts or sciences

   a classic proof

4. characterized by simplicity, balance, regularity, and purity of form; classical

5. of lasting interest or significance

6. continuously in fashion because of its simple and basic style

   a classic day dress

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noun

1. an author, artist, or work of art of the highest excellence

2. a creation or work considered as definitive

3. horse racing

   1. any of the five principal races for three-year-old horses in Britain, namely the One Thousand Guineas, Two Thousand Guineas, Derby, Oaks, and Saint Leger

   2. a race equivalent to any of these in other countries

classic Cultural  

1. A descriptive term for a period in Western music, encompassing roughly the last half of the eighteenth century, that includes the works of Franz Josef Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the early works of Ludwig van Beethoven, among other composers.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonclassic
  adjective
• preclassic
  adjective
• quasi-classic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• classics
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of classic

First recorded in 1605–15; (from French classique ), from Latin classicus “belonging to a class, belonging to the first or highest class,” equivalent to class(is) “class” + -icus adjective suffix; see class, -ic

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Explanation

The noun classic describes something that's very high quality, particularly if it has lasting value. The pristine Model T Ford that you keep in your garage is a classic, but the beat-up old clunker you drive every day is not. You can also use the adjective classic to describe something that relates to ancient Greece or Rome. You can enjoy the classic Greek-style columns on the outside of your house but still appreciate the modern plumbing on the inside of it. Classic also means excellent, of recognized authority, or definitive. Classic literature, for example, includes that written by authors like Mark Twain and Jane Austen.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

classic classics

Slate film critic Dana Stevens raves, “It’s a dazzling exploration of the possibilities of stop-motion technology, as well as a classic coming-of-age fairy tale.”

From Slate ● Oct. 22, 2026

Railroads, which were so revolutionary that multiple routes were built between cities in the 19th century, are the classic example.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

Richard Riehle, a prolific character actor who portrayed Tom Smykowski, the product manager with “people skills” in Mike Judge’s cult classic, “Office Space,” has died.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

Previously unseen footage from a much-loved episode of Only Fools and Horses will reveal more depth and texture to the characters of the classic British sitcom, the maker of a new documentary has said.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

As a result of the Armstrong decision, defendants who suspect racial bias on the part of prosecutors are trapped in a classic catch-22.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Tom Skerritt, the Emmy-winning actor who had an enduring TV and film career that included roles in classics “Alien” and “Top Gun,” has died.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

As for the movie, I still favor familiar fall classics like “Hocus Pocus” or “Coraline.”

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026

In September, the Met opened its season with a new production of Verdi's "Macbeth" and will present other classics in the coming months.

From Barron's ● Oct. 18, 2026

In 1988, he founded Luaka Bop, a record label whose influential compilations have introduced American audiences to lesser-known classics of world pop and psychedelia, such as Brazil’s Os Mutantes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Ancient 8-, 16-, and 32-bit classics written in the previous century.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

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Related Words

• simple
• typical
• usual

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