relic

noun

rel·​ic ˈre-lik 

1

a

: an object esteemed and venerated because of association with a saint or martyr

b

: souvenir, memento

2

relics plural : remains, corpse

3

: a survivor or remnant left after decay, disintegration, or disappearance

4

: a trace of some past or outmoded practice, custom, or belief

Synonyms

• echo
• ghost
• shadow
• trace
• vestige

Examples of relic in a Sentence

a crude stone ax and other relics of the Neanderthals

in my grandparents' attic are many “groovy” relics from the 1960s

Recent Examples on the Web

But the Mayor’s Management Report (MMR), launched in 1977, is a relic — thousands of stats that don’t answer the only question that matters: is government actually solving problems? —Melanie La Rocca, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025

This is why gold has glittered year to date, and why the yellow relic’s move higher is likely to continue. —Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025

No ancient European cathedral is complete without its holy relics, which are venerated by the faithful as sacred artifacts from various saints and the life of Jesus. —Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 21 May 2025

Maybe because of our collective certainty that (at least in America) having to live one’s life in secret is a relic of gay history, there’s been little candid discussion of the subject in the past couple of decades. —Duane Michals Eric Jason Martin Krish Seenivasan Zak Mouton, New York Times, 12 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English relik, from Anglo-French relike, from Medieval Latin reliquia, from Late Latin reliquiae, plural, remains of a martyr, from Latin, remains, from relinquere to leave behind — more at relinquish

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing relic

• relic of the past

Rhymes for relic

• telic
• allelic
• angelic
• philatelic
• psychedelic

Kids Definition

relic

noun

rel·​ic ˈrel-ik 

1

: an object treated with great respect because of its connection with a saint or martyr

2

: something left behind after decay or disappearance

relics of ancient cities