Definition

Noun (plural form, used with a plural verb) 1. The people of the distant past, especially those belonging to the historical periods of Greece and Rome before the fall of the Western Roman Empire. This term collectively refers to the individuals who lived in these early, classical civilizations.

Usage

The word "ancients" is used to talk collectively about the people of ancient times, particularly in an academic, historical, or comparative context. It often implies a focus on their ideas, achievements, or ways of life. * It functions as a plural noun (e.g., The ancients believed...). * It is typically preceded by the definite article "the" (e.g., the wisdom of the ancients).

Examples

• The ancients built monuments that still amaze modern engineers.
• We can learn much about astronomy from the writings of the ancients.
• This medical practice was well known to the ancients.

Advanced Usage

• "The ancients" vs. "ancient people": "The ancients" is a fixed, collective term often used in formal or literary contexts. "Ancient people" is more general and descriptive.
  • Comparative study: The ancients had a different concept of time than we do today.
• In contrast with "the moderns": Used in philosophical or historical discourse to contrast classical and contemporary thought.
  • The debate between the ancients and the moderns shaped Renaissance art.

Variants and Related Words

• Ancient (adjective): Belonging to the very distant past.
  • They studied ancient history.
• Ancient (noun, singular): A very old person. (This is a different, informal usage).
  • My grandfather is a real ancient.
• Antiquity: The ancient past, especially the period of classical Greek and Roman civilization.
  • This artifact dates from antiquity.

Synonyms

• The people of antiquity
• Forebears of classical civilization
• Classical peoples

Notes on Meaning

The primary meaning of "the ancients" specifically evokes the civilizations of the classical world (e.g., Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Mesopotamians). It is less commonly used to refer generally to any prehistoric or early human societies without that classical connotation.

Noun

1. people who lived in times long past (especially during the historical period before the fall of the Roman Empire in western Europe)