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

The dates of the objects do not always match up exactly, but juxtaposing relics from both cultures, made with different raw materials and in distinctive styles, helps visitors understand what each side saw during these early encounters. —Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 4 Aug. 2025

Now less alarmed and more reflective, Alaina sees the letters as relics of the house's strange past. —Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 July 2025

Places to visit include St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, a church that is more than 100 years old and is home to more than 350 relics, the Behringer-Crawford Museum, the more than 700 acre Devou Park and Clive, a 30 foot art installation of an alien. —Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 25 July 2025

Since 1985, drinking alcohol in view of the pitch has been banned in men’s professional football in England and Wales, a relic of moral panic amid rampant hooliganism. —Lela London, Forbes.com, 25 July 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