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

Further complicating things, de Guzman says, are all the wooden homes here, relics of early 20th century construction that focused on earthquake survivability. —Kirk Siegler, NPR, 12 Jan. 2025

All-weather city boots can be a depressing relic of cold and slush, but trudging into January doesn’t have to be such a drag. —airmail.news, 11 Jan. 2025

The Down Deep • Among the relics in Judge Meadows’s apartment: an Etch-a-Sketch, preserved under glass. —Noel Murray, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025

By the turn of the 21st century, this ideal was a relic. —Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 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

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