antiquity

noun

an·​tiq·​ui·​ty an-ˈti-kwə-tē 

plural antiquities

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 of antiquity

• ancientness
• antiquation
• age
• hoariness

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

Looking at America’s billionaire class and its executive branch today, the warnings from antiquity have never felt more urgent. —Anthony Scaramucci, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026

Scattered around the garden are various architectural fragments and inscribed stones of great antiquity. —Ben Lerner, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026

Like the appeals made by women during the antiquity to midwife goddesses, prayer and supplication were ways to affirm intentions for healthy pregnancies, calm labors, and living children. —Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026

Defenders of the new classics—with its incorporation of race, gender, pop culture, and comparative frameworks—see it as a more faithful representation of antiquity itself. —Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see antique entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for antiquity

• iniquity
• obliquity
• ubiquity

Kids Definition

antiquity

noun

an·​tiq·​ui·​ty an-ˈtik-wət-ē 

plural antiquities

1

: ancient times

especially : those before the Middle Ages

2

: very great age

3

plural : objects or monuments from ancient times