relic

[rel-ik]

noun

1. a surviving memorial of something past.

2. an object having interest by reason of its age or its association with the past.

   a museum of historic relics.

3. a surviving trace of something.

   a custom that is a relic of paganism.

4. relics,

   1. remaining parts or fragments.

   2. the remains of a deceased person.

5. something kept in remembrance; souvenir; memento.

6. Ecclesiastical.,  (especially in the Roman Catholic and Greek churches) the body, a part of the body, or some personal memorial of a saint, martyr, or other sacred person, preserved as worthy of veneration.

7. a once widespread linguistic form that survives in a limited area but is otherwise obsolete.

relic

/ ˈrɛlɪk /

noun

1. something that has survived from the past, such as an object or custom

2. something kept as a remembrance or treasured for its past associations; keepsake

3. (usually plural) a remaining part or fragment

4. RC Church Eastern Churches part of the body of a saint or something supposedly used by or associated with a saint, venerated as holy

5. informal,  an old or old-fashioned person or thing

6. archaic,  (plural) the remains of a dead person; corpse

7. ecology a less common term for relict

Other Word Forms

• reliclike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of relic¹

1175–1225; Middle English < Old French relique < Latin reliquiae (plural) remains (> Old English reliquias ), equivalent to reliqu ( us ) remaining + -iae plural noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of relic¹

C13: from Old French relique , from Latin reliquiae remains, from relinquere to leave behind, _relinquish

Example Sentences

It’s easy to imagine Hollywood one day making an apocalyptic film that features the abandoned landscape with only these museum relics still standing — and “Split-Rocker” erupting in explosive, unkempt flowers.

From Los Angeles Times

With good ingredients, a little technique, and respect for the inherent generosity of the dish, a rice casserole moves from nostalgic relic to weeknight star.

From Salon

The place seemingly closed for good during the pandemic, an aging relic in an era when people didn’t need to imagine themselves in Mexico for an evening because Mexicans were now all around them.

From Los Angeles Times

“Of the nearly two hundred written constitutions, the Constitution of the United States — the most influential constitution in the world — is also among the oldest, a relic,” Lepore asserts in her opening.

From Los Angeles Times

The exhibition is not only about peering at relics behind glass, but one that invites visitors to step into the filmmaking process.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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