ancient history

noun

1

: the history of ancient times

2

: something from the past dismissed as no longer important or relevant to the present

regarding their former dispute as ancient history

Examples of ancient history in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Stoner fails to answer in class but soon rushes to the university library and begins assiduously reading Latin and Greek literature and adds courses in philosophy, ancient history, and English literature in lieu of the agricultural sciences. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026

Whether you’re drawn to ancient history or Renaissance masterworks, each site rewards those who take their time. —Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2026

Handing the ball to an ace like Yamamoto and asking for nine innings is ancient history. —Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026

But the atomic collective is the living present, not ancient history – and a future that any new testing will necessarily produce. —Magdalena Stawkowski, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ancient history

• ethnohistory
• consistory
• mystery