Return to the home page.

Expand/collapse menu.

Visit Our Sites

Unabridged Dictionary

Learner's Dictionary

Word Central for Kids

Collegiate Dictionary

Expand/collapse menu.

Premium Services

Unabridged Dictionary

Collegiate Dictionary

Encyclopedia Britannica

Institutional Subscriptions

Expand/collapse menu.

Expand/collapse menu.

Word of the Day

Subscriber Help

Expand/collapse menu.

More Word Games

Daily Crosswords

Expand/collapse menu.

Open Dictionary

Alphabetical Browse

Browse Categories

Submit an Entry

Expand/collapse menu.

Spelling Bee Hive

Hive Headquarters

Spelling Champion

Spelling Reform

Expand/collapse menu.

Word for the Wise

Today's Broadcast

Expand/collapse menu.

Books and CD-Roms

Online Services

Palm and Pocket PC

Expand/collapse menu.

Looking Up a Word

Citing the Dictionary

Audio Pronunciations

Word Games Help

Expand/collapse menu.

Merriam-Webster FAQ

Advertising Info

Copyright Notice

Also Visit:
Unabridged

Visual
ESL:
Learner's
for Kids:
Spell It!
Word Central

ancient

Browse the Dictionary:: A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; X; Y; Z; #

ancient

Main Entry:: ¹an·cient
Pronunciation:: \ˈān(t)-shənt, ˈāŋ(k)-shənt\
Function:: adjective
Etymology:: Middle English ancien, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *anteanus, from Latin ante before — more at ante-
Date:: 14th century

1: having had an existence of many years2: of or relating to a remote period, to a time early in history, or to those living in such a period or time ; especially : of or relating to the historical period beginning with the earliest known civilizations and extending to the fall of the western Roman Empire in a.d. 4763: having the qualities of age or long existence: as a: venerable b: old-fashioned , antique

synonyms see old

— an·cient·ness noun

Learn more about "ancient" and related topics at Britannica.com

See a map of "ancient" in the Visual Thesaurus

Find Jobs in Your City

Pronunciation Symbols