ancien

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French ancien, from Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin *anteānus (“that which came before”), a compound of ante (“before”) +‎ -ānus (adjective-forming suffix). Related to the Old and Middle French ains.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑ̃.sjɛ̃/, (in liaison) /ɑ̃.sjɛ.n‿/

• Audio (France, Paris)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛ̃
• Homophone: anciens

Adjective

ancien (feminine ancienne, masculine plural anciens, feminine plural anciennes)

1. (always placed before the noun) old, former, ex- (no longer current)

   Mon ancien petit ami m’a plaquée.

   My ex-boyfriend ditched me.

2. (usually placed after the noun) ancient (very old)

   Elle a acheté une maison ancienne.

   She has bought an ancient house.

   le grec ancien (rarer also l’ancien grec) ― the Ancient Greek language

   l’ancien français ― the Old French language

Derived terms

• à l’ancienne
• ancien français
• ancien occitan
• Ancien Régime
• ancien régime
• Ancien Testament
• ancienne école
• anciennement
• ancienneté
• arménien ancien
• grec ancien

 

See also

• vieux

Noun

ancien m (plural anciens, feminine ancienne)

1. an old person

Derived terms

• Ancien des jours

Descendants

• → Ido: anciena

Further reading

• “ancien”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• canine

Middle French

Etymology

From Old French ancien.

Adjective

ancien m (feminine singular ancienne, masculine plural anciens, feminine plural anciennes)

1. old
2. previous; former

Descendants

• French: ancien

Norman

Etymology

From Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin *anteanus, from Latin ante.

Adjective

ancien m

1. (Jersey) ancient

Derived terms

• anciennement
• ancienneté (“ancient times”)

Old French

Alternative forms

• anciien, ancïen (diaereses not universally used by scholars of Old French)

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *anteānus; see there for further etymology. See also the related ains, ainz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (early) /anˈt͡sjɛn/
• IPA^(key): (late) /ãnˈsjɛ̃n/

Adjective

ancien m (oblique and nominative feminine singular anciene)

1. old, ancient

Antonyms

• juene

Descendants

• Middle French: ancien
  • French: ancien
• Norman: ancien
• → Galician: ancián, anciao
• → Italian: anziano
  • → Medieval Latin: antiānus
• → Middle English: auncyen
  • English: ancient
• → Sicilian: anzianu
  • → Maltese: anzjan
• → Spanish: anciano

See also

• viel