ancient

/'einʃənt/

Thân thiện

An archaeologist carefully brushes dust from an ancient pottery shard.

Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Very old: Having existed for a very long time; aged.
   • Belonging to times long past: Specifically relating to the historical period before the fall of the Western Roman Empire (476 AD).

2. Noun:

   • A person who lived in ancient times: An individual from a historical period long past.
   • A very old person: (Informal or humorous) An elderly individual.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • We studied the customs of ancient Egypt. (We studied the customs of the very old civilization of Egypt.)
  • That oak tree is ancient; it's over 500 years old. (That oak tree is very old.)
• Noun:
  • The writings of the ancients teach us about their philosophies. (The writings of people from long ago teach us.)
  • (Informal) My grandfather is a spry ancient for his age. (My grandfather is a lively old man.)

Advanced Usage

• "ancient history":
  • Literally: The study of events in the ancient past.

    • She majored in Ancient History.
  • Figuratively: Something that happened so long ago it is no longer relevant.

    • Our argument is ancient history; let's forget it.
• "since ancient times": For a period extending back to the distant past.
  • This ritual has been performed since ancient times.

Variants and Related Words

• Anciently (adverb): In ancient times; long ago.
  • This land was anciently forested.
• Ancientness (noun): The quality of being ancient.
  • The ancientness of the artifact was confirmed by carbon dating.

Synonyms

• Adjective (very old): Antique, archaic, age-old, venerable.
• Adjective (from historical past): Classical, early, prehistoric, primordial.
• Noun (old person): Elder, old-timer, senior.

Antonyms

• Adjective: Modern, new, recent, contemporary, fresh.

Related Phrases

• The ancients: A collective term for people of ancient civilizations, especially the Greeks and Romans.
  • The ancients had a sophisticated understanding of astronomy.
• Ancient monument: A structure, such as a building or ruin, of historical importance from ancient times.
  • The pyramid is a protected ancient monument.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. very old
   • an ancient mariner
2. belonging to times long past especially of the historical period before the fall of the Western Roman Empire
   • ancient history
   • ancient civilizations such as those of the Etruscans and Sumerians
   • ancient Greece

Noun

1. a person who lived in ancient times
2. a very old person

Từ đồng nghĩa

• antediluvian