: of or relating to a remote period, to a time early in history, or to those living in such a period or time
ancient Egyptians
especially: of or relating to the historical period beginning with the earliest known civilizations and extending to the fall of the western Roman Empire in a.d. 476
studied both ancient and modern history
3
: having the qualities of age or long existence: such as
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
Adjective The people in the village still observe the ancient customs of their ancestors. a grove of ancient oak trees The practice was more common in ancient times than it is now. the gods of the ancient Romans She studied both ancient and modern history.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun (1)
Middle English ancien, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *anteanus, from Latin ante before — more at ante-