ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past.

ANCIENT definition: 1. of or from a long time ago, having lasted for a very long time: 2. very old: 3. used to refer…. Learn more.

Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history through late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the …

ANCIENT meaning: 1 : very old having lived or existed for a very long time often used in an exaggerated way to describe an old machine, person, etc.; 2 : of, coming from, or belonging to …

Jun 3, 2025 · ancient (comparative ancienter or more ancient, superlative ancientest or most ancient) Having lasted from a remote period; having been of long duration; of great age, very old.

Ancient means belonging to the distant past, especially to the period in history before the end of the Roman Empire. They believed ancient Greece and Rome were vital sources of learning.

Ancient means very old. Sometimes there's a sense of "older than old." My grandmother, bless her soul, lived until she was positively ancient.

Jun 4, 2025 · From the powerful civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley, to the fearsome yet sophisticated society of the Vikings, the ancient world was a surprising and …

Originating from late 14th-century Old French ancien, meaning "old" or "ancient," late denotes something very old or long-lasting, derived from Latin ante "before."

There are 21 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word ancient, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.