relic
Americannoun
-
relics
plural
-
a surviving memorial of something past.
-
an object having interest by reason of its age or its association with the past.
a museum of historic relics.
-
a surviving trace of something.
a custom that is a relic of paganism.
-
relics,
-
remaining parts or fragments.
-
the remains of a deceased person.
-
-
something kept in remembrance; souvenir; memento.
-
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.
-
a once widespread linguistic form that survives in a limited area but is otherwise obsolete.
noun
-
something that has survived from the past, such as an object or custom
-
something kept as a remembrance or treasured for its past associations; keepsake
-
(usually plural) a remaining part or fragment
-
RC Church Eastern Churches part of the body of a saint or something supposedly used by or associated with a saint, venerated as holy
-
informal an old or old-fashioned person or thing
-
archaic (plural) the remains of a dead person; corpse
-
ecology a less common term for relict
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of relic
1175–1225; Middle English < Old French relique < Latin reliquiae (plural) remains (> Old English reliquias ), equivalent to reliqu ( us ) remaining + -iae plural noun suffix
Explanation
A relic is a fragment from the past — one of Elvis's guitars, an ancient piece of pottery or even an outmoded way of thinking -– that remains behind. Your dad might love his old albums, but to you, they're just relics. The noun relic is derived from relinquere, Latin for "to leave behind." A crumbling Roman wall is a relic of a once-great civilization. The superstition that seven years of bad luck will follow if you break a mirror may be a relic of the old superstition that a mirror can trap the souls of those reflected in it. Whether it's an object or an idea, a relic is a remnant of the past. Religious relics are items, such as Buddha’s tooth or St. Anne’s wrist bone, that have been preserved and venerated.
Vocabulary lists containing relic
Musty Dusty Words for National Old Stuff Day
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Ancient Wisdom: Synonyms for "Old"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
They Both Die at the End
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Tag Heuer Monaco is an interesting relic of Art Deco design if it isn’t also the watch Steve McQueen wore in “Le Mans.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Those relic black holes could provide a possible explanation for dark matter.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
Buoyed in part by mozzarella-stick-seeking Gen Zers, Chili’s has transformed from a ’90s relic to the hottest restaurant chain in the country.
From Slate ● Aug. 5, 2026
Once a baby boomer relic, the Democratic Socialists of America now counts more than 120,000 members.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
I handled it only rarely, like a holy relic.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Elsewhere around the county, traces of centuries-old gardens were found in Bishop's Palace in Wells, while relics of old structures were uncovered at Glastonbury Abbey due to the record-breaking summer temperatures.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
There are large fragments of salt-eaten machinery littering the shore, relics of the island’s martial heyday.
From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026
The craft of scavenging the River Thames for lost relics at low tide has surged in popularity, leaving more than 10,000 hopeful treasure hunters stuck on a permit waitlist.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
“We’re aware of the sand erosion and the different relics getting exposed down there,” said Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Perhaps it was the backdrop: Buck’s Peak was theirs and it camouflaged them, so that when I saw them there, surrounded by the loud, sharp relics of my childhood, the setting seemed to absorb them.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
