Antiquity
/ænˈtɪkwəti/
nounIntermediate📊CommonTime
1 meaning2 questions
Definitions
1
The period of ancient times, especially before the Middle Ages.
/ænˈtɪkwəti/
nounneutralIntermediate
Time
Great age; ancient times.
The ruins are a testament to the grandeur of antiquity.
💡 Simply: Very old times
More Examples
2
Scholars study the literature of antiquity to understand ancient civilizations.
How It's Used
History
"The museum boasts a remarkable collection of artifacts from classical antiquity."
Archaeology
"Her research focused on the social structures of antiquity."
From Late Latin antiquitas, from antiquus "ancient, old." The word's development reflects a long-standing interest in the past.
The word has consistently referred to ancient times throughout its usage, but its specific temporal boundaries have varied depending on the context.
Memory tip
Think 'anti' (against) the new, and 'quity' (quality) of age.
Word Origin
LanguageLatin
Original meaning
"ancientness, old age"
Base: antique
classical antiquityremains of antiquitythe study of antiquity
Common misspellings
antiqutyantiqityantiquety
Practice
Usage
10%Spoken
90%Written