ancient
AYN-shuhnt
Ancient (adj) means belonging to a very distant, long-past time, especially before the Middle Ages. Example: “Archaeologists found coins from an ancient civilisation buried beneath the field.”
adj
1
Belonging to a very distant, long-past time, especially before the Middle Ages.
"Archaeologists found coins from an ancient civilisation buried beneath the field."
"The museum houses artifacts from ancient Egypt."
"They studied ancient Greek philosophy at university."
2
Very old.
"The ancient oak in the churchyard has stood there for centuries."
"My laptop is so ancient that it takes ten minutes to start."
"Grandpa still drives that ancient old truck."
noun
1
A person who lived in the distant past, especially in classical Greece or Rome.
"The ancients built enormous temples without any modern machines."
"Scholars still read what the ancients wrote about the stars and the sea."
"The ancients believed the earth was at the center of the universe."
How to use ancient
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishVery old, from a long time ago — often used for civilizations, ruins, or traditions from thousands of years back.
Common mistake
"Ancient" suggests genuine antiquity (centuries or more); for something merely old or outdated, use "old" or "old-fashioned" instead.
Common pairings
ancient history
ancient civilization
ancient ruins
ancient times
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Word forms
- Plural
- ancients
- Comparative
- ancienter, more ancient
- Superlative
- ancientest, most ancient
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Archaeologists found coins from an _____ civilisation buried beneath the field.
Etymology
From Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin anteanus, built from ante ("before").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for ancient
client
orient
patient
salient
ambient
lenient
quotient
obedient
nutrient
gradient
sentient
ebullient
See all rhymes for ancient →
Frequently asked questions
What does “ancient” mean?
The word “ancient” means belonging to a very distant, long-past time, especially before the Middle Ages. In plain terms, very old, from a long time ago — often used for civilizations, ruins, or traditions from thousands of years back.
How do you pronounce “ancient”?
“Ancient” is pronounced AYN-shuhnt (/ˈeɪn.ʃənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “ancient” in a sentence?
Here is “ancient” used in a sentence: “The museum houses artifacts from ancient Egypt.”
What is another word for “ancient”?
Words with a similar meaning to “ancient” include eldern, hoary, oldster, senior citizen and forerunner.
What is the opposite of “ancient”?
The opposite of “ancient” — its antonyms — is modern.
What part of speech is “ancient”?
Depending on how it is used, “ancient” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “ancient” come from?
The word “ancient” comes from Vulgar Latin. From Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin anteanus, built from ante ("before").
Is “ancient” a common word?
“Ancient” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between ancient and old?
Old simply means having existed for a long time and is relative; a ten-year-old phone is old. Ancient means extremely old, belonging to a very distant past, usually thousands of years ago and before the Middle Ages. All ancient things are old, but only the oldest, from long-vanished eras, count as ancient.
What is the difference between ancient and antique?
Antique usually describes valuable old objects, typically at least 100 years old, like furniture or jewelry. Ancient refers to things from a far more distant era, thousands of years ago, such as ancient Rome or Egypt. An antique clock is old and collectible; an ancient artifact belongs to a long-lost civilization.
What time period is considered ancient?
Ancient history generally covers the earliest civilizations up to roughly the fall of the Western Roman Empire in AD 476, when the Middle Ages began. It includes cultures like ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia, and China. Anything before recorded history is prehistoric, and anything after ancient times is medieval or modern.
What is the opposite of ancient?
The main opposites are modern, new, recent, and contemporary, all describing things from the present or recent past. Where ancient points to the distant past and long-gone eras, these words point to today's world. Current and up-to-date also contrast with ancient when describing ideas, technology, or style.
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