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

Even in the world of luxury goods, art and antiquities sales are curiously opaque. — William G. Rich, WSJ, "Let the Sun Shine In on the Art Business," 7 Dec. 2018 The phenomenon has been documented since classical antiquity (Aristotle himself mentioned the phenomena in his 350 B.C. treatise, On Dreams), with its popularity steadily increasing over time. — Aliza Kelly Faragher, Allure, "What Is Lucid Dreaming? Your Guide to Exploring Your Subconscious," 18 Sep. 2018 Redolent and hardy, orange blossoms have been a popular ingredient in fragrance water since antiquity. — Evelyn Crowley, Vogue, "Why Fragrance Water Is the Perfume World’s New Obsession," 11 Aug. 2018 Zahi Hawass, an Egyptologist and former antiquities minister known for his Indiana Jones-style hats, has suggested the find could bolster efforts to locate the tomb of Alexander the Great. — Declan Walsh, New York Times, "Sarcophagus Found. Contents Unknown. (‘No Guessing, Please.’)," 13 July 2018 While there is not yet a full accounting of what was lost, museum administrators have estimated 90 percent of its holdings were torched, including Egyptian antiquities, Brazilian indigenous art and documents going back hundreds of years. — Mauricio Savarese, Fox News, "Brazil museum fire sparks soul searching about spending," 27 Sep. 2018 Chinese devotion to antiquity does not prevent mastery of modernity. — Tom Shippey, WSJ, "Science Fiction: Bamboo Bathed in Earthlight," 30 Nov. 2018 The humanist movement gave special impetus to the subject of Venus, whose ravishing beauty was recounted in antiquity and resurrected in Renaissance art. — Mary Tompkins Lewis, WSJ, "‘The Renaissance Nude’ Review: The Body, Sacred and Sensual," 14 Nov. 2018 It was founded in 1860 to house chancellor Charles Nicholson’s private collection of curios, now the Southern Hemisphere’s largest and most prestigious showcase of antiquities. — Sophie Davies, Condé Nast Traveler, "15 Best Museums in Sydney," 23 Mar. 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.