vintage

1 of 2

noun

vin·​tage ˈvin-tij 

1

a(1)

: a season's yield of grapes or wine from a vineyard

(2)

: wine

especially : a usually superior wine all or most of which comes from a single year

b

: a collection of contemporaneous and similar persons or things : crop

2

: the act or time of harvesting grapes or making wine

3

a

: a period of origin or manufacture

a piano of 1845 vintage

b

: length of existence : age

vintage

2 of 2

adjective

1

of wine : of, relating to, or produced in a particular vintage

2

: of old, recognized, and enduring interest, importance, or quality : classic

3

a

: dating from the past : old

b

: outmoded, old-fashioned

4

: of the best and most characteristic

—used with a proper noun

vintage Shaw: a wise and winning comedy

—Time

Synonyms

Adjective

• antique
• old-fashioned
• old-school
• old-time
• old-timey
• old-world
• oldfangled
• quaint
• retro
• retrograde

Examples of vintage in a Sentence

Noun

a piano of 1845 vintage

Adjective

the designer's bracelets and necklaces have the vintage look of jewelry from the 1920s

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Shop secondhand Antique, vintage, or secondhand items purchased in the US won’t be impacted by tariffs, says Virginia Chamlee, author of Big Thrift Energy. —Elizabeth Yuko, Architectural Digest, 2 May 2025

Red carpet vintage The symbolism of the repurposed garment is poignant for the 50-something tastemaker. —Marianna Cerini, CNN Money, 2 May 2025

Adjective

Every piece of furniture is unique and sourced from vintage resellers and local markets, and the couple plastered each sheet of wallpaper on their own. —Liz Provencher, Architectural Digest, 8 May 2025

The whisky was initially matured in an ex-bourbon barrel before being transferred to a vintage 1980 calvados cask (a type of French apple brandy). —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 7 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, probably alteration of vendage, from Anglo-French vendage, vendenge, from Latin vindemia grape-gathering, vintage, from vinum wine, grapes + demere to take off, from de- + emere to take — more at wine, redeem

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Adjective

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing vintage

• vintage year

Rhymes for vintage

• mintage

Kids Definition

vintage

noun

vin·​tage

ˈvint-ij

1

a

: the grapes or wine produced during one season

b

: wine entry 1 sense 1

2

: a period in which something was made or was begun

a violin of 1820 vintage

vintage adjective

Etymology

Noun

Middle English vintage, an altered form of vendage "the grapes picked during a season," from early French vendage, vendenge (same meaning), from Latin vindemia (same meaning), from vinum "wine, grapes" and demere "to take off" — related to vine, vinegar