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

• 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

The blend of fresh innovation, antiquity with layers of artisan craft became a part of Beirut’s cultural fabric and propelled it as a cultural hub in the beginning of the second half of the 20th century, much like the cities of Baghdad, Iraq; Damascus, Syria, and Tehran, Iran. —Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025

The Louvre houses over 33,000 works spanning antiquities, sculpture, and painting — from Mesopotamian artifacts and Egyptian relics to masterpieces by European artists. —Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2025

Babylon, in modern Iraq, meanwhile, was the jewel of Mesopotamia and one of the most important cities in antiquity. —Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025

The former Egyptian tourism and antiquities minister won a landslide victory against his rival Firmin Edouard Matoko, a veteran diplomat and economist from Congo Brazzaville. —Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 10 Oct. 2025

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