antiquity
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Antiquity
Contents
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English antiquytee, from Old French antiquité, from Latin antiquitas, from antiquus; see antique, antic. Compare with French antiquité.
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
antiquity (countable and uncountable, plural antiquities)
- Ancient times; former ages; times long since past.
- Cicero was an eloquent orator of antiquity.
- The ancients; the people of ancient times.
- That such pillars were raised by Seth all antiquity has avowed. —Sir W. Raleigh.
- (obsolete) An old gentleman.
- You are a shrewd antiquity, neighbor Clench. —B. Jonson.
- (historical) The historical period preceding the Middle Ages (c. 500-1500), primarily relating to European history.
- (often constructed as an uncountable plural) A relic or monument of ancient times; as, a coin, a statue, etc.; an ancient institution.
- State of being ancient or of ancient lineage.
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1918, W. B. Maxwell, chapter 5, in The Mirror and the Lamp:
- He was thinking; but the glory of the song, the swell from the great organ, the clustered lights, […], the height and vastness of this noble fane, its antiquity and its strength—all these things seemed to have their part as causes of the thrilling emotion that accompanied his thoughts.
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Related terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
ancient times
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the ancients
old gentleman
relic or monument of ancient times
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External links[edit]
- antiquity in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- antiquity in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
Categories:
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with obsolete senses
- English terms with historical senses
