Ancient — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈān(t)-shənt/ an·cient

Meaning & Definition of Ancient

Ancient (adjective)

  1. having had an existence of many years
  2. of or relating to a remote period, to a time early in history, or to those living in such a period or time; especially, of or relating to the historical period beginning with the earliest known civilizations and extending to the fall of the western Roman Empire in a.d. 476
  3. having the qualities of age or long existence

Ancient (noun)

  1. a person who lived in ancient times:
  2. the civilized people of antiquity; especially, those of the classical nations
  3. one of the classical authors
  4. ensign, standard, flag
  5. the bearer of an ensign

Ancient (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. dating or surviving from the distant past

    "Rome's ancient ruins remain carefully preserved even in the midst of the bustle of the modern city"

    similar: aged, age-old, antediluvian, antique, dateless, hoar, hoary, immemorial, old, venerable
    related: aging, mature, antiquated, archaic, archaistic, dated, fusty, geriatric, medieval, moldy, Noachian, obsolete, outmoded, out-of-date, passé, old-fashioned, old-time, old-world, retro, vintage, durable, enduring, lasting, long-lived, permanent, ageless, hallowed, time-honored, timeless, time-tested, timeworn, traditional, tried, tried-and-true, classic, classical, prehistoric, primeval, primordial
    opposite: modern, new, recent
    near: fresh, vernal, young, youthful, contemporary, current, latest, mod, novel, present-day, ultramodern, untested, untried, brand-new, unused, unworn

  2. being of advanced years and especially past middle age

    "used to think that age 40 was ancient until I turned 40 myself"

    similar: aged, aging, elderly, geriatric, long-lived, old, older, over-the-hill, senescent, senior, unyoung, long in the tooth, of a certain age
    related: centenarian, nonagenarian, octogenarian, septuagenarian, sexagenarian, oldish, adult, grown-up, mature, middle-aged, pensioned, retired, superannuated, matriarchal, patriarchal, venerable, anile, decrepit, doddering, senile, spavined, tottery, overage
    opposite: young, youthful
    near: ageless, youngish, adolescent, immature, juvenile, preteen, puerile, minor, underage, callow, green, inexperienced, raw, babyish, childish, childlike, infantile, infantine, kiddish

  3. relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period

    "the ancient Inca built a vast network of roads"

    similar: early, primal, primeval, primitive, primordial
    related: budding, embryonic, germinal, infant, aged, age-old, antediluvian, antiquated, antique, dateless, hoary, old, prehistoric, obsolete, outmoded, out-of-date, passé
    opposite: late
    near: advanced, complex, developed, evolved, high, higher, full-blown, full-fledged, full-scale

Ancient (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person of advanced years

    "ancients in the tribe are accorded great respect and valued for their wisdom"

    similar: elder, geriatric, golden-ager, old-timer, oldster, senior, senior citizen
    related: gaffer, graybeard, patriarch, whitebeard, beldam, dowager, grandam, adult, grown-up, dotard
    opposite: youngster, youth
    near: adolescent, minor, child, cub, juvenile, kid, kiddie

Related Entry: Ancient history (noun)

Ancient history is a different word from Ancient. The synonyms below are for ancient history, not for ancient.

  1. as in open secret

    similar: open secret
    opposite: 411 (slang), book, dope, inside, lowdown, poop (slang), scoop, skinny (slang), tip, dirt, dish, gossip, rumor, story, hint, pointer

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Ancient

The most common words with a similar meaning to Ancient:

aged, age-old, antediluvian, antique, dateless, hoar, hoary, immemorial, old, venerable, aging, elderly, geriatric, long-lived, older, over-the-hill, senescent, senior, unyoung, early, primal, primeval, primitive, primordial, long in the tooth, of a certain age, elder, golden-ager, old-timer, oldster, senior citizen

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Ancient

Words with the opposite meaning of Ancient:

modern, new, recent, young, youthful, late, youngster, youth

Related Words for Ancient

mature, antiquated, archaic, archaistic, dated, fusty, medieval, moldy, Noachian, obsolete, outmoded, out-of-date, passé, old-fashioned, old-time, old-world, retro, vintage, durable, enduring, lasting, permanent, ageless, hallowed, time-honored, timeless, time-tested, timeworn, traditional, tried

Near Antonyms of Ancient

fresh, vernal, contemporary, current, latest, mod, novel, present-day, ultramodern, untested, untried, brand-new, unused, unworn, ageless, youngish, adolescent, immature, juvenile, preteen, puerile, minor, underage, callow, green, inexperienced, raw, babyish, childish, childlike

Word Forms of Ancient

Derived words: ancientness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Ancient

Middle English ancien, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *anteanus, from Latin ante before ante-

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Ancient

Words & Phrases Containing Ancient

ancient history

Frequently Asked Questions about Ancient

What does "Ancient" mean?

"Ancient" means having had an existence of many years. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: having had an existence of many years. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Ancient"?

Other words for "Ancient" include aged, age-old, antediluvian, antique, dateless, hoar, hoary and immemorial. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Ancient" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Ancient"?

There are 98 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Ancient". Common alternatives include aged, age-old, antediluvian, antique, dateless, hoar, hoary, immemorial, old and venerable.

What is the opposite of "Ancient"?

Antonyms of "Ancient" include modern, new, recent, young, youthful, late, youngster and youth. Near antonyms include fresh, vernal, contemporary and current.

How do you use "Ancient" in a sentence?

Examples of "Ancient" in a sentence: "Rome's ancient ruins remain carefully preserved even in the midst of the bustle of the modern city"; "used to think that age 40 was ancient until I turned 40 myself"; "the ancient Inca built a vast network of roads".

Is "Ancient" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Ancient" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Ancient" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Ancient" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Ancient"?

"Ancient" is pronounced /ˈān(t)-shənt/ and divided into syllables as an·cient.