First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1ancient
adjective an·cient \ˈān(t)-shənt, ˈāŋ(k)-shənt\
: very old : having lived or existed for a very long time
: of, coming from, or belonging to a time that was long ago in the past
Full Definition of ANCIENT
1
: having had an existence of many years
2
: of or relating to a remote period, to a time early in history, or to those living in such a period or time; 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
3
— an·cient·ness noun
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Origin of ANCIENT
Middle English ancien, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *anteanus, from Latin ante before — more at ante-
Related to ANCIENT
Synonym Discussion of ANCIENT
old, ancient, venerable, antique, antiquated, archaic, obsolete mean having come into existence or use in the more or less distant past. 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>.
2ancient
noun
Definition of ANCIENT
1
: an aged living being <a penniless ancient>
2
: a person who lived in ancient times: a plural : the civilized people of antiquity; especially : those of the classical nations b : one of the classical authors <Plutarch and other ancients>
3
: an ancient coin
First Known Use of ANCIENT
1502
3ancient
noun
Definition of ANCIENT
2
obsolete : the bearer of an ensign
Origin of ANCIENT
alteration of ensign
First Known Use: 1554
ANCIENT Defined for Kids
1ancient
adjective an·cient \ˈān-shənt\
Definition of ANCIENT for Kids
1
: very old <ancient customs>
2
: of or relating to a time long past or to those living in such a time <ancient Egypt>
2ancient
noun
Definition of ANCIENT for Kids
1
: a very old person
2
ancients plural : the civilized peoples of ancient times and especially of Greece and Rome
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