antiquity
an-TIK-wih-tee
/ænˈtɪkwɪti/
The ancient past, especially the period of classical and other human civilizations before the Middle Ages.
Often implies a sense of grandeur or value associated with the distant past, rather than just 'oldness'.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'antiquus', meaning 'former' or 'ancient'. It entered English via Old French, originally referring to the laws and customs of the ancient world before being applied to the time period itself.
Word relationships
- ancient times: More common and less formal than antiquity.
- the distant past: Vague and lacks the specific historical connotation of antiquity.
- modernity: Refers to the current era or the quality of being modern.
Commonly confused with
- antique: An antique is a specific object; antiquity is the time period itself.
Word family
- antiquated (adjective): Old-fashioned or no longer useful.
- antiquarian (noun): A person who studies or collects antiques.
Collocations
- classical antiquity
- remnants of antiquity
- relics of antiquity
Idioms & expressions
- of great antiquity
Example sentences
- "The museum houses a vast collection of statues and pottery from classical antiquity." Describing the preservation of ancient artifacts.
- "The ruins of antiquity were a source of wonder to the travelers of the Grand Tour." A famous historical observation on the ruins of Rome.
Memory hook
Think of an 'antique' city. Antiquity is the era where all those antiques were brand new. Antiquity is the 'antique' of history.
When not to use
Do not use for the recent past (e.g., the 1950s) or for geological time before humans.
Fun facts
- In the 18th century, 'antiquity' was often used specifically to mean the civilizations of Greece and Rome.
Related words
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