Ancient Definition

ānshənt
ancients, ancienter, ancientest
adjective
ancienter, ancientest
Of, relating to, or belonging to times long past, especially before the fall of the Western Roman Empire ( ad 476).
Ancient cultures.
American Heritage
Of times long past; belonging to the early history of the world, esp. before the end of the Western Roman Empire (a.d. 476)
Webster's New World
Of great age; very old.
American Heritage
Having existed a long time; very old.
Webster's New World
Having the qualities associated with age, wisdom, or long use; venerable.
American Heritage
Antonyms:
noun
ancients
A very old person.
American Heritage
A person who lived in ancient times.
Webster's New World
A person who lived in times long past.
American Heritage
An aged person.
Webster's New World
The peoples of the classical nations of antiquity.
American Heritage
idiom
the ancients
  • the people who lived in ancient times
  • the ancient or classical writers and artists, esp. of Greco-Roman times
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Ancient

Noun

Singular:
ancient
Plural:
ancients

Adjective

Base Form:
ancient
Comparative:
ancienter
Superlative:
ancientest

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Ancient

  • the ancients

Origin of Ancient

  • Middle English auncien from Old French from Vulgar Latin anteānus Latin ante before ant- in Indo-European roots -ānus adj. and n. suff

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Middle English auncyen, from Old French ancien (“old”), from Latin root *anteanus, from ante (“before”). Compare antique.

    From Wiktionary

  • Alteration of ensign

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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