1
: very old : having lived or existed for a very long time
The people in the village still observe the ancient customs/traditions of their ancestors.
a grove of ancient oak trees
—often used in an exaggerated way to describe an old machine, person, etc.We got a ride in an ancient truck.
an ancient barn
I never thought I'd feel ancient at age 31.
She finally decided to replace her ancient computer with something more modern and up to date.
2
: of, coming from, or belonging to a time that was long ago in the past
The practice was more common in ancient times than it is now.
life in ancient Egypt/Rome/Greece/China
the gods of the ancient Romans
ancient artifacts
She studied both ancient and modern history.
Note: In informal use, something that happened long ago and that is not important any more is ancient history.
Cite this Entry
“Ancient.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/ancient. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.
Copy Citation
