relic

noun

rel·​ic ˈre-lik 

1

a

: an object esteemed and venerated because of association with a saint or martyr

b

: souvenir, memento

2

relics plural : remains, corpse

3

: a survivor or remnant left after decay, disintegration, or disappearance

4

: a trace of some past or outmoded practice, custom, or belief

Synonyms

• artifact
• trace
• remnant
• vestige
• ghost
• reminder
• echo
• shadow

Examples of relic in a Sentence

a crude stone ax and other relics of the Neanderthals

in my grandparents' attic are many “groovy” relics from the 1960s

Recent Examples on the Web

There were relics of the property’s former life as a brewery, Buffalo Brewing. —Sacbee.com, 13 Aug. 2025

Kodiak’s other claims to fame are salmon fishing and relics of the island’s time as part of Russian America before the U.S. purchased Alaska in 1867. —Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 8 Aug. 2025

Chaotic didn’t necessarily move the needle or help define the genre but because of nostalgia, it’s often categorized as a 2000s pop culture relic. —Krystie Lee Yandoli, Glamour, 7 Aug. 2025

Those days now seem like a distant relic from another era. —Joseph Liu, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English relik, from Anglo-French relike, from Medieval Latin reliquia, from Late Latin reliquiae, plural, remains of a martyr, from Latin, remains, from relinquere to leave behind — more at relinquish

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing relic

• relic of the past

Rhymes for relic

• telic
• allelic
• angelic
• philatelic
• psychedelic

Kids Definition

relic

noun

rel·​ic ˈrel-ik 

1

: an object treated with great respect because of its connection with a saint or martyr

2

: something left behind after decay or disappearance

relics of ancient cities