archaism

1 of 2

noun

ar·​cha·​ism ˈär-kē-ˌi-zəm 

-(ˌ)kā-ˌi-

1

: the use of archaic diction or style

2

: an instance of archaic usage

3

: something archaic

especially : something (such as a practice or custom) that is outmoded or old-fashioned

archaist

ˈär-kē-ist 

-(ˌ)kā-ist

noun

archaistic

ˌär-kē-ˈi-stik 

-(ˌ)kā-

adjective

archaize

ˈär-kē-ˌīz 

-(ˌ)kā-

verb

archaize

2 of 2

verb

ar·​cha·​ize ˈär-kē-ˌīz  -(ˌ)kā- 

-ed/-ing/-s

transitive verb

: to make appear archaic or antique

archaize the styles

intransitive verb

: to use archaisms

conscious archaizing of the language by the translator

Examples of archaism in a Sentence

Noun

the archaisms “methinks” and “saith”

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Narrator Mary Lewis, raised in Newfoundland herself, delivers the book in a manner that seems stilted at first but grows more appealing as Lewis moves further into the story, with its pleasing archaisms and evocation of balked communication. —Katherine A. Powers, Washington Post, 21 Jan. 2020

That phrase, which may strike some young American ears as an archaism if not an oxymoron, is worth unpacking, and Amis provides readers with a pocket account of the historical preconditions of his extravagant fame. —A.o. Scott, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2018

For the Latin American left, that vision has congealed into archaism. —The Economist, 12 Oct. 2017

But the main challenge for any translator is to remain true to Virgil without wrenching him into archaism or stiffness. —Willard Spiegelman, WSJ, 22 Sep. 2017

Full of archaisms, the language has a neo-Nabokovian extravagance, occasionally overindulgent. —Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Noun

New Latin archaïsmus, from Greek archaïsmos, from archaios

Verb

Greek archaïzein, from archaios + -izein -ize

First Known Use

Noun

1643, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

archaism

noun

ar·​cha·​ism ˈär-kē-ˌiz-əm 

-kā-

1

: the use of archaic words

2

: an archaic word or expression