ancient history

noun

Updated on: 14 Apr 2018

Definition of ancient history

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

Recent Examples of ancient history from the Web

The Maple Leafs’ 2013 playoff collapse against the Bruins might as well be ancient history given the amount of turnover each team has experienced in the past five seasons.

— jace evans, USA TODAY, "NHL playoffs 2018: Four bold predictions," 10 Apr. 2018
Other discoveries at the site include broken pottery vessels, including jars and cooking pots, offering a fascinating glimpse into Jerusalem’s turbulent ancient history.

— james rogers, Fox News, "Trove of ancient 'freedom coins' unearthed in Jerusalem," 4 Apr. 2018
His failure in the 2010 Olympics was ancient history.

— michael rosenberg, SI.com, "John Shuster Leads U.S.'s 'Team of Rejects' to Olympic Curling Gold," 24 Feb. 2018
Yet they are too seldom discussed, too often ignored, and viewed by too many today as ancient history.

— ruth hopkins, Teen Vogue, "Treaties Between the United States and Indigenous Nations, Explained," 24 Feb. 2018
In that moment, Juicy Couture tracksuits became ancient history.

— emilia petrarca, The Cut, "Paris Hilton Is a Kim Kardashian West Clone and So Are We," 31 Jan. 2018
Moments like those, once common for Connecticut, seem like ancient history for the Huskies now.

— dom amore, courant.com, "UConn Men No Match For No.1 Villanova, Fall 81-61," 20 Jan. 2018
For today’s college students, the 1968 Columbia University takeover that closed the campus and the violent eviction of the protesters by the police must seem like ancient history.

— sam roberts, New York Times, "‘A Time to Stir’ Evokes the Zeal of Columbia’s 1968 Protests," 17 Jan. 2018
This is, after all, the woman who has written almost an entire album about a moment that's ancient history in Kardashian-Jenner years.

— evelyn wang, Glamour, "Taylor Swift Fans Spotted Snake References in Her 'End Game' Music Video," 12 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ancient history.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.