: having the characteristics of the language of the past and surviving chiefly in specialized uses
an archaic word
Note: In this dictionary the label archaic is affixed to words and senses relatively common in earlier times but infrequently used in present-day English.
2
: of, relating to, or characteristic of an earlier or more primitive time : antiquated
archaic legal traditions
3
capitalized: of or belonging to the early or formative phases of a culture or a period of artistic development
especially: of or belonging to the period leading up to the classical period of Greek culture
4
: surviving from an earlier period
specifically: typical of a previously dominant evolutionary stage
5
capitalized: of or relating to the period from about 8000 b.c. to 1000 b.c. and the North American cultures of that time
old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence.
old houses
an old sweater of mine
ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past.
ancient accounts of dragons
venerable stresses the impressiveness and dignity of great age.
the family's venerable patriarch
antique applies to what has come down from a former or ancient time.
collected antique Chippendale furniture
antiquated implies being discredited or outmoded or otherwise inappropriate to the present time.
antiquated teaching methods
archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time.
the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period
obsolete may apply to something regarded as no longer acceptable or useful even though it is still in existence.
a computer that makes earlier models obsolete
Example Sentences
The author is a bluestocking, with a weakness for etymology and archaic religious texts, her body of work lauded for revealing the sacred in the ordinary. Kathryn Harrison, New York Times Book Review, 21 Dec. 2008Europe's economic growth and productivity, Judt reminds us, for all the horror stories about archaic work regulations and inflexible labor markets, has remained impressive up to the current moment. John T. McGreevy, Commonweal, 24 Mar. 2006Between the upper limit of radiocarbon dating (about 50 ka) and the lower limit of radiogenic potassium dating (about 0.5 Ma) there used to exist a chronological lacuna that I call the Gap. This temporal range encompasses the transition of archaic humans into fully modern forms, so the lack of a reliable means of dating fossils from the Gap was disconcerting. Ervan G. Garrison, Physics Today, October 2001 The company needs to update its archaic computer systems.
Recent Examples on the WebBefore his death in 2018, the Arizona Republican pushed to repeal an archaic FAA rule that limited Gateway Airport's ability to build the tower. Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 24 Aug. 2022 Yet one lap past the actual wares of the fair, where most brands marketed inviting, informal clothes, and these dutiful dandies appear as archaic as a crumbling fresco. Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, 20 June 2022 One common, if admittedly archaic, point of Hindu tradition is that women who are menstruating are encouraged not to participate in temple activities, like worshiping or cooking, or being on temple grounds. Palak Jayswal, The Salt Lake Tribune, 25 Mar. 2022 The building, at Kaufman Astoria Studios, has arches and an archaic look that feels plucked out of the Fifties thriller Sunset Boulevard. Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 3 Aug. 2022 Transplant doctors have complained for years about archaic aspects of the technology for sharing data and getting organs to the right place as quickly as possible. Joseph Menn, Lenny Bernstein, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Aug. 2022 Transplant doctors have complained for years about archaic aspects of the technology for sharing data and getting organs to the right place as quickly as possible. Lenny Bernstein, Washington Post, 31 July 2022 To him, autonomy is becoming an archaic concept and has been for a while. Sara Tidwell, The Enquirer, 28 July 2022 More disappointing than the screen size, though, is the infotainment system's archaic graphics and menu structure. Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 28 July 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
French or Greek; French archaïque, from Greek archaïkos, from archaios