Archaic
/ɑːrˈkeɪɪk/
Definitions
Extremely old and no longer in common use.
/ɑːrˈkeɪɪk/
Belonging to a much earlier period; antiquated.
The archaic laws were rarely enforced.
💡 Simply: Very old and outdated.
More Examples
The document contained archaic terminology.
How It's Used
"The archaic language of the poem made it difficult to understand."
"The author used archaic words to create a sense of time and place."
From Late Middle English archaïque, borrowed from Old French archaïque, from Late Latin archaicus, from Greek ἀρχαῖος (arkhaios) "ancient, old," from ἀρχή (archē) "beginning, origin."
The word 'archaic' has been used since the 16th century, initially in the context of classical learning, referring to ancient Greek and Roman texts. Its use broadened to encompass any old and obsolete language or style.
Memory tip
Think 'arch' (old) + 'aic' (a suffix implying something from the past).