antiquity

noun

an·​tiq·​ui·​ty an-ˈti-kwə-tē How to pronounce antiquity (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The tablet came into the possession of an Israeli antiquities dealer in 1995 and then became part of the Living Torah Museum in Brooklyn. Francesca Aton For Artnews, Robb Report, 20 Dec. 2024 Its most famous leader, Charlemagne, had risen to power in the late eighth century as ruler of the Franks, a people known to the Romans since late antiquity, who had ruled their own independent kingdom since the late fifth century. Matthew Gabriele, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024 Federal officials allege that a seller used the platform to smuggle ancient Egyptian antiquities into the U.S. A major shoplifting report has gone missing. Melvin Backman, Quartz, 10 Oct. 2024 Applications in Antiquity In antiquity, rosemary became an emblem of faithful remembrance and immortality. Nina Foster, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for antiquity 

Word History

Etymology

see antique entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of antiquity was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near antiquity

Cite this Entry

“Antiquity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antiquity. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

antiquity

noun
an·​tiq·​ui·​ty an-ˈtik-wət-ē How to pronounce antiquity (audio)
plural antiquities
1
: ancient times
especially : those before the Middle Ages
2
: very great age
3
plural : objects or monuments from ancient times

More from Merriam-Webster on antiquity

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!