antiquity

noun

an·​tiq·​ui·​ty an-ˈti-kwə-tē 

plural antiquities

1

: ancient times

especially : those before the Middle Ages

a town that dates from antiquity

2

: the quality of being ancient

a castle of great antiquity

3

antiquities plural

a

: relics or monuments (such as coins, statues, or buildings) of ancient times

a museum of Greek antiquities

b

: matters relating to the life or culture of ancient times

the study of Germanic antiquities

4

: the people of ancient times

records left by antiquity

Synonyms

• age
• agedness
• ancientness
• hoariness

Examples of antiquity in a Sentence

The town dates from antiquity.

A palace stood here in antiquity.

a museum of Roman antiquities

Recent Examples on the Web

First unveiled in January, the new typeface is inspired by antiquities that would have held the semi-mythical mithridate remedy created by Mithridates VI Eupator of Pontus in the 1st century BC. —Gemma A. Williams, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025

But the United States is still a young country, and a longer, more global view yields fascinating parallels to our moment that date back to antiquity. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2025

Consumed since antiquity—notably by Hippocrates, who extolled its therapeutic virtues—elderberries are mainly cultivated for the production of juices, syrups, and natural remedies. —Jeanne Ballion, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2025

This echoed the norms of antiquity; the historian Paul Veyne has noted that in ancient Rome, for example, the belief was widespread that any defects in civic life directly reflected on the virtues of the city’s elite. —Brian Klaas, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see antique entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for antiquity

• iniquity
• obliquity
• ubiquity

Kids Definition

antiquity

noun

an·​tiq·​ui·​ty an-ˈtik-wət-ē 

plural antiquities

1

: ancient times

especially : those before the Middle Ages

2

: very great age

3

plural : objects or monuments from ancient times