Definition of relic area
: a region that retains characteristic speech features from an earlier stage of a language which have been lost or have undergone greater change in other regions — compare focal area, graded area
Learn More About relic area
Statistics for relic area
Look-up Popularity
Cite this Entry
“Relic area.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relic%20area. Accessed 26 Sep. 2021.
Style: MLA
MLA
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Test Your Vocabulary
Dog Words Quiz
-
- Which of the following animals has a dog in its etymology?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Share relic area