1
: of or relating to antiquarians or antiquities
2
: dealing in old or rare books
an antiquarian bookstore
an·ti·quar·i·an·ism
ˌan-tə-ˈkwer-ē-ə-ˌni-zəm 
plural -s
: antiquarian interests or research : study or love of antiquites
Examples of antiquarian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Through his contacts in the antiquarian book world, Sampas began looking for potential buyers and was put in touch with Michael D. Horowitz, a book dealer and archivist who specialized literary appraisals.
—Jean-Christophe Cloutier
march 26, Literary Hub, 26 Mar. 2026
Gatiss, 59, created, writes and stars as antiquarian bookshop owner Gabriel Book who with his encyclopedic knowledge of literature, history and the thousands of books lining his shelves helps police solve mysterious crimes in 1946 London.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
More of an antiquarian show for vintage clothing, antiques and textiles, Sturbridge drew an industry audience of dealers and fashion designers.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 2 Dec. 2025
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Adjective
But in the age of digitization and AI, antiquarian booksellers like Kline have had to adapt accordingly.
—Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Through his contacts in the antiquarian book world, Sampas began looking for potential buyers and was put in touch with Michael D. Horowitz, a book dealer and archivist who specialized literary appraisals.
—Jean-Christophe Cloutier
march 26, Literary Hub, 26 Mar. 2026
Gatiss, 59, created, writes and stars as antiquarian bookshop owner Gabriel Book who with his encyclopedic knowledge of literature, history and the thousands of books lining his shelves helps police solve mysterious crimes in 1946 London.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
More of an antiquarian show for vintage clothing, antiques and textiles, Sturbridge drew an industry audience of dealers and fashion designers.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for antiquarian
Cite this Entry
“Antiquarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antiquarian. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
antiquarian
1 of 2 noun
an·ti·quar·i·an
ˌant-ə-ˈkwer-ē-ən
antiquarian
2 of 2 adjective
: of or relating to antiquaries or antiquities
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