ancient
/ˈeɪn.ʃənt/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.68 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Existent or occurring in time long past, usually in remote ages; belonging to or associated with antiquity; old, as opposed to modern.
adj
Relating to antiquity as a primarily European historical period; the time before the Middle Ages.
noun
A person who is very old.
noun
A person who lived in ancient times.
Example Sentences
- "an ancient city"
- "an ancient forest"
- "[P]ut the Caſe that the Nobleman of the ancienter Family does not indeed diſgrace his Dignity, but adds nothing to it; having nothing extraordinary to recommend him or diſrecommend him: Whereas the other, by his perſonal Merit, has rais'd himſelf to an equal Dignity. Which of the two in this Suppoſition deſerves the greater Eſteem?"
- "'I understand that the district was considered a sort of sanctuary,' the Chief was saying. 'An Alsatia like the ancient one behind the Strand, or the Saffron Hill before the First World War. They tell me there was a recognized swag-market down here.'"
- "an ancient author"
- "an ancient empire"
Etymology
From Middle English auncyen, from Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin *anteānus, composed of Latin ante (“before”) + -ānus (adjective-forming suffix). The non-etymological excrescent /t/ is by analogy with the common ending -ent.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Usage
Inflected Forms
ancienter (comparative)
more ancient (comparative)
ancientest (superlative)
most ancient (superlative)
ancientmost (superlative)
anchient (alternative, obsolete)
aunchient (alternative, obsolete)
auncient (alternative, obsolete)
auntient (alternative, obsolete)
awncient (alternative, obsolete)
awntient (alternative, obsolete)
ancyent (alternative, obsolete)