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 of relic

• 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

But SROs are a relic of a different and older New York City. —Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 26 Mar. 2026

Others, like the dialogue around race in casting, feel like a relic of that discourse’s peak in the 2010s. —Alison Herman, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026

That is a relic of a bygone era. —Suzanne Schneider, The New York Review of Books, 25 Mar. 2026

The moving instrumental version of the lead single from the enigmatic Ocean’s 2012 debut solo album, Channel Orange, was transformed in Flea’s hands into what sounded like a lost relic from the 1940s jazz age, performed with a style and grace that breathed new life into the track. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 24 Mar. 2026

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