Word
ancient
Phoneticsan·cient, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈeɪnʃənt/
UK/ˈeɪnʃənt/
Definitions
01from the distant past
A2 · Elementary
adj. belonging to a time that was thousands of years ago.
adj. belonging to the very distant past, specifically the period of history before the end of the Western Roman Empire.
“We visited the ancient pyramids during our summer trip to Egypt.”
“The archaeologists discovered ancient pottery shards that suggested the settlement had been active long before the arrival of the Roman legions.”
Usage
Usually non-gradable; while 'very ancient' is common in speech, it is technically redundant in formal writing.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02very old
B1 · Intermediate
adj. having lasted for a very long time; extremely old.
adj. having existed for many years; used to emphasize extreme age in a non-historical context.
“That ancient oak tree in the park has been there for centuries.”
“The professor drove an ancient car that rattled loudly every time he shifted gears, yet he refused to trade it for a modern model.”
03people of the past
B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun Formal
n. the people who lived thousands of years ago.
n. people who lived in the remote past, particularly those of the classical civilizations.
“The ancients believed that the stars could predict the future of kings.”
“Many Renaissance scholars looked to the writings of the ancients for guidance on philosophy, governance, and the natural sciences.”
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English auncyen, from Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin *anteānus, composed of Latin ante (“before”) + -ānus (adjective-forming suffix). The non-etymological /t/ is by analogy with the common ending -ent.
Corruption of ensign.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
01. ancient history
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/ancient