antiquity

noun

an·​tiq·​ui·​ty an-ˈti-kwə-tē 

plural antiquities

1

: ancient times

especially : those before the Middle Ages

a town that dates from antiquity

2

: the quality of being ancient

a castle of great antiquity

3

antiquities plural

a

: relics or monuments (such as coins, statues, or buildings) of ancient times

a museum of Greek antiquities

b

: matters relating to the life or culture of ancient times

the study of Germanic antiquities

4

: the people of ancient times

records left by antiquity

Synonyms

• age
• agedness
• ancientness
• hoariness

Examples of antiquity in a Sentence

The town dates from antiquity.

A palace stood here in antiquity.

a museum of Roman antiquities

Recent Examples on the Web

The fair’s eleventh edition hosted 91 international exhibitors, including 13 new galleries that showcased modern and contemporary art, antiquities, jewelry and design objects. —Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025

Its New York offshoot shows much more recent art: Two-thirds of exhibitors are modern and contemporary galleries, and other exhibitors offer antiquities and jewelry. —Farah Nayeri, New York Times, 1 May 2025

Zahi Hawass, an Egyptologist and a former minister of tourism and antiquities in Egypt, joined him. —Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025

The Panorama, mounted temporarily while the Pergamon Museum undergoes renovation, is an enormous installation depicting life in 129 A.D. Altes Museum contains numerous objects from classical antiquity. —Valeriya Safronova, New York Times, 1 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

see antique entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for antiquity

• iniquity
• obliquity
• ubiquity

Kids Definition

antiquity

noun

an·​tiq·​ui·​ty an-ˈtik-wət-ē 

plural antiquities

1

: ancient times

especially : those before the Middle Ages

2

: very great age

3

plural : objects or monuments from ancient times