Dictionary

ancient en · ADJ · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/
• (US) audio
• /ˈeɪn.t͡ʃənt/
• /ˈæn.ʃənt/ (dialectal)
• /ˈeɪŋk.ʃənt/ (nonstandard)
• /ˈæn.t͡ʃənt/ (dialectal)

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.

Meanings

1. Having lasted from a remote period; having been of long duration; of great age, very old.
   • an ancient city
   • [P]ut the Caſe that the Nobleman of the ancienter Family does not indeed diſgrace his Dignity, but adds nothing to it; having nothing extraordinary to recommend him or diſrecommend him: Whereas the other, by his perſonal Merit, has rais'd himſelf to an equal Dignity. Which of the two in this Suppoſition deſerves the greater Eſteem? 1749, Joakim Philander [pseudonym; Friedrich Christian Schoenau], “The Adventure of the Inn”, in Vitulus Aureus: The Golden Calf. Or, A Supplement to Apuleius’s Golden Ass. […], London: Printed for T. Cooper, […], →OCLC, page 119:
   • an ancient forest
   • 'I understand that the district was considered a sort of sanctuary,' the Chief was saying. 'An Alsatia like the ancient one behind the Strand, or the Saffron Hill before the First World War. They tell me there was a recognized swag-market down here.' 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword: The Turk Street Mile”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC, page 2:
2. Existent or occurring in time long past, usually in remote ages; belonging to or associated with antiquity; old, as opposed to modern.
   • The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates promoted wine for various purposes, including reducing fevers and dressing wounds. 2022 January 22, Jonathan Reiner, “If you think that glass of wine is good for you, it’s time to reconsider”, in CNN:
   • Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal. 2013 July–August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:
   • an ancient empire
   • an ancient author
   • Buried within the Mediterranean littoral are some seventy to ninety million tons of slag from ancient smelting, about a third of it concentrated in Iberia. This ceaseless industrial fueling caused the deforestation of an estimated fifty to seventy million acres of woodlands. 2006, Edwin Black, chapter 2, in Internal Combustion, →OL:
3. Relating to antiquity as a primarily European historical period; the time before the Middle Ages.
4. (obsolete) Experienced; versed.
   • approved by the consent of the moste ancient doctors of the Churche [part of the book title] 1550, Thomas Cranmer, A Defence of the True and Catholick Doctrine of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ; with a Confutation of sundry Errors concerning the same, grounded and stablished upon God's Holy Word, and approved by the consent of the most ancient Doc. tors of the Church:
5. (obsolete) Former; sometime.
   • They mourned their ancient leader lost. 1715–1720, Homer, “Book II”, in Alexander Pope, transl., The Iliad of Homer, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC:

Forms

Antonyms

modern

Deriveds

ancientism · ancient regime · Ancient Greece · unancient · nonancient · ancient times · ancient lights · ancient document · Ancient Macedonian · ancient alien · ancient Near Eastern · ancient Kangleipak · ancient grain · ancient history · Ancient Egypt · ancients · ancient astronaut · ancient marineress · Ancient Greek · anciently · ancientry · ancient monument · ancientness · anciency · Ancient Rome · superancient · AADAOPA

Relateds

antiquated · antique · antic · antiquarian · antiquity · antiquary

Synonyms

eldern · hoary · aged (very old)

Translations (296)

cu древьнъ (having lasted from a remote period) · lo ເກົ່າແກ່ (having lasted from a remote period) · fr antique (having lasted from a remote period) · es anciano (having lasted from a remote period) · nl antiek (having lasted from a remote period) · sh антички (having lasted from a remote period) · ps قديم (having lasted from a remote period) · sv forntida (existent or occurring in time long past) · hy հնամյա (having lasted from a remote period) · cs starověký (having lasted from a remote period) · os рагон (having lasted from a remote period) · nl weleers (existent or occurring in time long past) · ml പ്രാചീന (existent or occurring in time long past) · eo antikva (history: relating to antiquity) · hi प्राचीन (having lasted from a remote period) · mk древен (having lasted from a remote period) · bg стар (having lasted from a remote period) · sk starý (having lasted from a remote period) · la antīquus (existent or occurring in time long past) · ga sean- (having lasted from a remote period) · tg бостон (having lasted from a remote period) · vi cổ đại (having lasted from a remote period) · uk дре́вній (having lasted from a remote period) · ckt тэԓеӈкин (having lasted from a remote period) · sh star (having lasted from a remote period) · vi xưa (having lasted from a remote period) · fr ancien (having lasted from a remote period) · fi ikiaikainen (having lasted from a remote period) · lv sens (existent or occurring in time long past) · da urgammel (having lasted from a remote period) · ca antic (having lasted from a remote period) · hu ókori (history: relating to antiquity) · nn eldgammal (having lasted from a remote period) · nn antikk (having lasted from a remote period) · oc ancian (having lasted from a remote period) · sv uråldrig (having lasted from a remote period) · pt antigo (existent or occurring in time long past) · pl starodawny (having lasted from a remote period) · bcl suanoy (having lasted from a remote period) · nn eldgammal (history: relating to antiquity) · el αρχαίος (having lasted from a remote period) · ru дре́вний (existent or occurring in time long past) · kea antigu (existent or occurring in time long past) · sq i moçëm (having lasted from a remote period) · hi कदीम (having lasted from a remote period) · ca antic (existent or occurring in time long past) · ht ansyen (having lasted from a remote period) · io anciena (having lasted from a remote period) · es antiguo (having lasted from a remote period) · tr antik (existent or occurring in time long past) · ur قَدِیم (having lasted from a remote period) · lv sens (having lasted from a remote period) · la antīquus (having lasted from a remote period) · nl oeroud (existent or occurring in time long past) · io antiqua (history: relating to antiquity) · de altbacken (having lasted from a remote period) · hil kinadaan (having lasted from a remote period) · sw -a kale (existent or occurring in time long past) · sc antigu (having lasted from a remote period) · eo malnovega (having lasted from a remote period) · sh drevan (having lasted from a remote period) · uz qadimiy (having lasted from a remote period) · sa पुराण (having lasted from a remote period) · tg қадим (having lasted from a remote period) · pt antigo (having lasted from a remote period) · uk анти́чний (history: relating to antiquity) · cu древьн̑ь (having lasted from a remote period) · hu ősrégi (having lasted from a remote period) · cmn 古老 (having lasted from a remote period) · mrw miaoget (having lasted from a remote period) · io antiqua (existent or occurring in time long past) · az antik (having lasted from a remote period) · uk старода́вній (existent or occurring in time long past) · el αρχαίος (existent or occurring in time long past) · gld балапчи (having lasted from a remote period) · rsk стари (having lasted from a remote period) · km បុរាណ (having lasted from a remote period) · ka არქაული (existent or occurring in time long past) · kk ерте (having lasted from a remote period) · es antiquísimo (existent or occurring in time long past) · cs pradávný (existent or occurring in time long past) · nl oeroud (having lasted from a remote period) · ms purba (having lasted from a remote period) · ca vetust (having lasted from a remote period) · sa प्राचीन (having lasted from a remote period) · ky байыркы (having lasted from a remote period) · uk старода́вній (having lasted from a remote period) · ka ძველი (having lasted from a remote period) · uk анти́чний (having lasted from a remote period) · rsk стародавни (having lasted from a remote period) · cs starověký (existent or occurring in time long past) · kk ежелгі (having lasted from a remote period) · fi hyvin vanha (having lasted from a remote period) · tr kadim (history: relating to antiquity) · sh antički (having lasted from a remote period) · fur antîc (having lasted from a remote period) · ps لرغونی (having lasted from a remote period) · ur پَراچِین (having lasted from a remote period) · et vana (having lasted from a remote period) · nl eertijds (existent or occurring in time long past) · eo grandaĝa (having lasted from a remote period) · bg дре́вен (having lasted from a remote period) · cs prastarý (having lasted from a remote period) · th โบราณ (having lasted from a remote period) · az qədim (having lasted from a remote period) · hu ősi (existent or occurring in time long past) · tr kadim (having lasted from a remote period) · it antico (existent or occurring in time long past) · sv forn (existent or occurring in time long past) · ka უძველესი (having lasted from a remote period) · ar عَرِيق (having lasted from a remote period) · ast antiguu (having lasted from a remote period) · bn কদীম (having lasted from a remote period) · bg анти́чен (having lasted from a remote period) · de vorsintflutlich (having lasted from a remote period) · oc antic (having lasted from a remote period) · he קָדוּם (having lasted from a remote period) · eo antikva (existent or occurring in time long past) · fi muinainen (existent or occurring in time long past) · cs starobylý (having lasted from a remote period) · ckb کەونار (having lasted from a remote period) · bcl suanoy (history: relating to antiquity) · ru ветхий (having lasted from a remote period) · fi ikivanha (having lasted from a remote period) · pl pradawny (existent or occurring in time long past) · ga ársa (having lasted from a remote period) · rsk древни (having lasted from a remote period) · cs starobylý (existent or occurring in time long past) · mt qadim (having lasted from a remote period) · it antico (having lasted from a remote period) · uz qadimgi (having lasted from a remote period) · is forn (existent or occurring in time long past) · my ရှေး (existent or occurring in time long past) · nb eldgammel (history: relating to antiquity) · cs antický (history: relating to antiquity) · cmn 古代 (having lasted from a remote period) · hi पुरातन (having lasted from a remote period) · my ရှေး (having lasted from a remote period) · sh древан (having lasted from a remote period) · io antiqua (having lasted from a remote period) · lo ບູຮານ (having lasted from a remote period) · sl starinski (having lasted from a remote period) · grc ἀρχαῖος (existent or occurring in time long past) · et muistne (having lasted from a remote period) · id purba (having lasted from a remote period) · is fornaldar- (history: relating to antiquity) · be анты́чны (having lasted from a remote period) · sh стар (having lasted from a remote period) · ml പുരാതന (having lasted from a remote period) · uk стари́й (having lasted from a remote period) · hi क़दीम (having lasted from a remote period) · rsk прадавни (having lasted from a remote period) · hu antik (existent or occurring in time long past) · nn eldgamal (existent or occurring in time long past) · pl starożytny (having lasted from a remote period) · rue старовікый (having lasted from a remote period) · fa-ira قَدیم (having lasted from a remote period) · hu antik (having lasted from a remote period) · ky эзелки (having lasted from a remote period) · fa-ira باسْتانی (having lasted from a remote period) · de alt (existent or occurring in time long past) · fi ammoinen (existent or occurring in time long past) · ar عَتِيق (having lasted from a remote period) · tl sinauna (having lasted from a remote period) · vi cổ (having lasted from a remote period) · be анты́чны (history: relating to antiquity) · ml പുരാതന (existent or occurring in time long past) · nl eeuwenoud (existent or occurring in time long past) · ug قەدىمكى (having lasted from a remote period) · ru стари́нный (having lasted from a remote period) · la prīscus (having lasted from a remote period) · fo fornur (having lasted from a remote period) · bg стари́нен (existent or occurring in time long past) · hy հնադարյան (existent or occurring in time long past) · sl star (having lasted from a remote period) · gl antigo (having lasted from a remote period) · ko 낡다 (having lasted from a remote period) · az qədimi (having lasted from a remote period) · pl antyczny (having lasted from a remote period) · hu régi (existent or occurring in time long past) · hi पुराण (having lasted from a remote period) · qu machu (having lasted from a remote period) · id kuno (having lasted from a remote period) · eo malnovega (existent or occurring in time long past) · ro antic (having lasted from a remote period) · de uralt (having lasted from a remote period) · prs کُهَن (having lasted from a remote period) · de antik (history: relating to antiquity) · bg анти́чен (history: relating to antiquity) · nb eldgammal (having lasted from a remote period) · ru старода́вний (having lasted from a remote period) · nn eldgammal (existent or occurring in time long past) · hil daan (having lasted from a remote period) · is forn (having lasted from a remote period) · ru старобы́лый (existent or occurring in time long past) · bn প্রাচীন (having lasted from a remote period) · pt antigo (history: relating to antiquity) · tk gadym (having lasted from a remote period) · ru ста́рый (having lasted from a remote period) · prs قَدِیم (having lasted from a remote period) · nb eldgammal (history: relating to antiquity) · be старада́ўні (having lasted from a remote period) · prs بَاسْتَان (having lasted from a remote period) · ru стари́нный (existent or occurring in time long past) · hy հին (having lasted from a remote period) · sh starodrevan (having lasted from a remote period) · fa-ira باسْتان (having lasted from a remote period) · tr antik (having lasted from a remote period) · nb eldgammal (existent or occurring in time long past) · hy հինավուրց (having lasted from a remote period) · ml പ്രാചീന (history: relating to antiquity) · am የጥንት (having lasted from a remote period) · nb eldgammel (having lasted from a remote period) · es antiguo (existent or occurring in time long past) · ltg senejs (having lasted from a remote period) · my ဟောင်း (having lasted from a remote period) · cmn 古舊 /古旧 (having lasted from a remote period) · sl starodaven (having lasted from a remote period) · sk staroveký (having lasted from a remote period) · mi aweko (existent or occurring in time long past) · ky эчаккы (having lasted from a remote period) · ur پُراتَن (having lasted from a remote period) · hy հնամենի (having lasted from a remote period) · ltg senejs (existent or occurring in time long past) · sv uråldrig (existent or occurring in time long past) · cs starověký (history: relating to antiquity) · ga ársa (existent or occurring in time long past) · tr antika (having lasted from a remote period) · he עָתִיק (having lasted from a remote period) · cs dávný (existent or occurring in time long past) · ce шира (having lasted from a remote period) · cmn 老 (having lasted from a remote period) · ang eald (having lasted from a remote period) · cu старъ (having lasted from a remote period) · crh qadimiy (having lasted from a remote period) · sv antik (having lasted from a remote period) · prs بَاسْتَانِی (having lasted from a remote period) · nb eldgammel (existent or occurring in time long past) · fa-ira کُهَن (having lasted from a remote period) · ja 古い (having lasted from a remote period) · de früh (existent or occurring in time long past) · cs prastarý (existent or occurring in time long past) · ka უძველესი (existent or occurring in time long past) · sk starobylý (having lasted from a remote period) · mt antik (having lasted from a remote period) · ar قَدِيم (having lasted from a remote period) · ur پْراچِین (having lasted from a remote period) · ru анти́чный (history: relating to antiquity) · ja 古代な (having lasted from a remote period) · kea antige (existent or occurring in time long past) · bo སྔ་མོ (having lasted from a remote period) · nb antikk (having lasted from a remote period) · hu ősrégi (existent or occurring in time long past) · be старажы́тны (having lasted from a remote period) · ist anteîco (having lasted from a remote period) · kmr kevnar (having lasted from a remote period) · lt sens (having lasted from a remote period) · hu régi (having lasted from a remote period) · fr ancien (existent or occurring in time long past) · ms kuno (having lasted from a remote period) · nn eldgamal (history: relating to antiquity) · rue стары́й (having lasted from a remote period) · ceb karaan (having lasted from a remote period) · he קַדְמוֹן (having lasted from a remote period) · tg бостонӣ (having lasted from a remote period) · tk gadymy (having lasted from a remote period) · fr ancien (history: relating to antiquity) · th เก่าแก่ (having lasted from a remote period) · nn eldgamal (having lasted from a remote period) · fi antiikin (history: relating to antiquity) · gun yma (having lasted from a remote period) · ru анти́чный (having lasted from a remote period) · sv urgammal (having lasted from a remote period) · ko 고대(古代)의 (having lasted from a remote period) · et iidne (having lasted from a remote period) · ka ანტიკური (having lasted from a remote period) · io anciena (existent or occurring in time long past) · grc ἀρχαῖος (having lasted from a remote period) · mk антички (having lasted from a remote period) · arz عتيق (having lasted from a remote period) · am ጥንታዊ (having lasted from a remote period) · be стары́ (having lasted from a remote period) · sq i lashtë (having lasted from a remote period) · yi אַנטיק (having lasted from a remote period) · sv antik (existent or occurring in time long past) · sk antický (having lasted from a remote period) · ru старода́вний (existent or occurring in time long past) · bcl suanoy (existent or occurring in time long past) · mn эртний (having lasted from a remote period) · de antiquiert (having lasted from a remote period) · mk стар (having lasted from a remote period) · de historisch (having lasted from a remote period) · sh стародреван (having lasted from a remote period) · tr kadim (existent or occurring in time long past) · tr antik (history: relating to antiquity) · ru дре́вний (having lasted from a remote period)

ancient en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/
• (US) audio
• /ˈeɪn.t͡ʃənt/
• /ˈæn.ʃənt/ (dialectal)
• /ˈeɪŋk.ʃənt/ (nonstandard)
• /ˈæn.t͡ʃənt/ (dialectal)

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.

Meanings

1. A person who is very old.
   • Hetty and Mrs. Piper watched them with a lynx-eyed understanding and before the ancient was well upon his road his way was blocked by Hetty. 1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, →OCLC, page 131:
2. A person who lived in ancient times.
   • What is ancient for us was in its own time a reworking of what was ancient for the ancients. 1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 210:
3. (UK) One of the senior members of the Inns of Court or of Chancery.
4. (obsolete) A senior; an elder; a predecessor.
   • Junius and Andronicus […] in Christianity […] were his ancients. [1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page):

Forms

Synonyms

senior citizen · oldster · antecessor (predecessor) · antique (person who lived in ancient times) · forerunner · geriatric (person who is very old)

ancient en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/
• (US) audio
• /ˈeɪn.t͡ʃənt/
• /ˈæn.ʃənt/ (dialectal)
• /ˈeɪŋk.ʃənt/ (nonstandard)
• /ˈæn.t͡ʃənt/ (dialectal)

Etymology

Corruption of ensign.

Meanings

1. (archaic) A flag, banner, standard or ensign.
   • [D]iſcarded, vniuſt ſeruingmen, yonger ſonnes to yonger brothers, reuolted tapſters, and Oſtlers, tradefalne, the cankers of a calme world, and a long peace, ten times more diſhonourable ragged then an olde fazd ancient, […] c. 1597 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The History of Henrie the Fourth; […], quarto edition, London: […] P[eter] S[hort] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1598, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:
   • I got all things ready as he had directed, and waited the next morning with the boat washed clean, her ancient and pendants out, and everything to accommodate his guests.. 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC:
2. (obsolete, rare) The bearer of a flag; ensign.
   • I preſt mee none but such toſtes and butter with hearts in their bellies no bigger then pianes heades, and they haue bought out their ſeruices, and now my whole charge conſiſts of Ancients, Corporals, Lieutenants, gentlemen of companies: ſlaues as ragged as Lazarus in the painted cloth, where the gluttons dogs licked his ſores, and ſuch as indeed were neuer ſouldiours, […] c. 1597 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The History of Henrie the Fourth; […], quarto edition, London: […] P[eter] S[hort] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1598, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:

Forms