Word
antique
Phoneticsan·tique, stress on the second syllable
US/ænˈtik/
UK/æntˈiːk/
Definitions
01a valuable old object
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. an object, such as a piece of furniture or jewelry, that is old and often valuable.
n. a collectible object such as a piece of furniture or work of art that has high value because of its considerable age.
“The shop in the village sells beautiful antiques from the nineteenth century.”
“The family decided to auction off several valuable antiques, including a mahogany writing desk that had been passed down through four generations.”
Synonyms
02an old person
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Humorous · Informal
n. a funny or slightly mean way to describe a person who is very old.
n. a person of advanced age. Used figuratively and often with a mildly derogatory or humorous intent.
“My grandfather calls himself an antique because he can't understand how to use a smartphone.”
“The veteran professor joked that he was a bit of an antique compared to the fresh-faced doctoral students in his seminar.”
Antonyms
03made long ago
B1 · Intermediate
adj. made in an earlier period and not modern.
adj. belonging to a former era; specifically relating to ancient times or simply being of a style from the past.
“She loves wearing antique lace dresses that she finds in second-hand shops.”
“The hotel lobby was decorated with antique mirrors and heavy velvet curtains to create an atmosphere of old-world elegance.”
Antonyms
04to make something look old
C2 · Proficiency Technical
v. to treat an object so that it looks like it is an antique.
v. to treat the surface of an object, such as furniture, to give it the appearance of being an antique.
“He used a special dark paint to antique the new picture frame.”
“The artisan spent hours carefully antiquing the cabinet doors to match the original woodwork of the seventeenth-century manor.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
Antonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from French antique (“ancient, old”), from Latin antiquus (“former, earlier, ancient, old”), from ante (“before”); see ante-. Doublet of antic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Related words
- 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.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL 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: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/antique