relic

noun

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rel·ic | \ ˈre-lik

Definition of relic

1a : 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 Example Sentences Learn More About relic

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Synonyms for relic

Synonyms

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 Today, however, it’s a family or date-night playground, a fake motel outfitted in midcentury yellows and browns that at times looks like a real one, a relic from an era when Los Angeles wasn’t threaded with freeways. — Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2021 Tower clocks are a relic from a time when many couldn’t afford a good quality timepiece, and people depended on a community clock, D’Avanza said. — BostonGlobe.com, 7 May 2021 Once used to stockpile grain for nearby egg and poultry farms, the huge storage bins are a relic from the Collin County town’s agricultural past. — Steve Brown, Dallas News, 6 May 2021 Critics argued these laws were a relic from a racist past that marginalized minority jurors. — oregonlive, 6 May 2021 That’s a reminder that measuring a president’s first 100 days is a relic from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency that the Beltway media and political leaders have refused to shelve. — Joe Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Apr. 2021 This method may seem to be out of date and a leftover relic from another generation. — John Navin, Forbes, 27 Apr. 2021 Are the Simpsons colored yellow because the show is cowardly, its one-time edginess just a relic from before the days of PC fascism? — Armond White, National Review, 21 Apr. 2021 Cicada emergences are one of North America’s most incredible natural phenomena, and a relic from a time far before humans were in Indiana. — London Gibson, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Apr. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'relic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.