# ancients

/ˈeɪnʃənts/ (US) · /ˈeɪnʃənts/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ancients
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

the people who lived a very long time ago, especially in famous civilizations like Greece or Rome.

For teachers: people belonging to the very distant past, specifically those from the classical civilizations of antiquity.

## Examples

- The ancients believed that the sun moved around the earth.
- Many modern architectural techniques were actually pioneered by the ancients thousands of years ago.
- Scholars of the Renaissance sought to recover the lost wisdom of the ancients, translating Greek and Latin texts to revitalize European philosophy and science.

## Usage notes

- Pluralia tantum in this sense; takes a plural verb and is almost always preceded by the definite article 'the'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.