ancient
Having lasted from a remote period; having been of long duration; of great age, very old.
Adjective 3 meanings
Having lasted from a remote period; having been of long duration; of great age, very old.
“an ancient city”
Existent or occurring in time long past, usually in remote ages; belonging to or associated with antiquity; old, as opposed to modern.
“an ancient author”
Relating to antiquity as a primarily European historical period; the time before the Middle Ages.
Noun 3 meanings
A person who is very old.
A person who lived in ancient times.
One of the senior members of the Inns of Court or of Chancery.
Etymology
From Middle English auncyen, from Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin *anteānus, composed of Latin ante (“before”) + -ānus (adjective-forming suffix). The non-etymological excrescent /t/ is by analogy with the common ending -ent.
Similar and opposite words
ANCIENT at a glance
ANCIENT has 7 letters and scores 9 points in Scrabble (A 1 + N 1 + C 3 + I 1 + E 1 + N 1 + T 1) and 12 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #2,047 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with ancient
All rhymesOne letter away
- ANTIENT7
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