antiquity

noun

an·tiq·ui·ty | \ an-ˈti-kwə-tē

plural antiquities

Definition of antiquity

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 & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about antiquity

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Synonyms & Antonyms for antiquity

Synonyms

age, agedness, ancientness, hoariness

Antonyms

newness

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

If the 1928 Arp wall piece at Hauser & Wirth is not in the cards, two categories of collecting still provide an opportunity to get the very best for what amounts, in Masterpiece terms, to good value: antiquities and 18th century silver. — David Netto, Town & Country, "All the Treasures at the Masterpiece Design Fair in London," 29 June 2018 The National Museum in Damascus, which locked up its prized antiquities for protection, is preparing to reopen to the public. — The Economist, "How a victorious Bashar al-Assad is changing Syria," 28 June 2018 His father was a buyer for a family business that imported arts and antiquities, mostly from Japan, and his mother was a homemaker. — Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, "Alexander Orr, co-founder of experimental Hawthorne School, dies at 94," 29 May 2018 It had been looted in antiquity, but the beautiful decorations inside were still intact. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Take a VR Tour of an Egyptian Queen’s Elaborate Tomb," 12 July 2018 Maamoun Abdul-Karim, who until recently was Syria’s director-general of antiquities and museums, has publicly urged the Turks to verify the manuscripts’ authenticity. — Washington Post, "Jewish artifacts disappear from Damascus in fog of Syria war," 18 June 2018 Many cultures in antiquity have buried their dead with coins as a way to pay a mythical ferryman to take their souls into the afterlife. — New York Times, "The Baby’s Hand Was Mummified. Why Wasn’t the Rest of Its Body?," 18 May 2018 It was found at the bottom of a 30ft pit, in a tomb that had been ransacked and robbed in antiquity. — Nell Lewis, CNN, "FBI cracks the case of the 4,000-year-old mummy's head," 6 Apr. 2018 Archaeologists found a giant granite sarcophagus while carrying out a routine land inspection in Alexandria, Egypt, according to a Facebook post from the ministry of antiquities. — Ella Cerón, Teen Vogue, "Undisturbed Sarcophagus Found in Alexandria, Egypt," 12 July 2018

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