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ancient - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'ancient' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Ancient [ a.]
- Old; that happened or existed in former times, usually at a great distance of time; belonging to times long past; specifically applied to the times before the fall of the Roman empire; -- opposed to modern; as, ancient authors, literature, history; ancient days.
- Old; that has been of long duration; of long standing; of great age; as, an ancient forest; an ancient castle.
- Known for a long time, or from early times; -- opposed to recent or new; as, the ancient continent.
- Dignified, like an aged man; magisterial; venerable.
- Experienced; versed.
- Former; sometime.
2 . Ancient [ n.]
- Those who lived in former ages, as opposed to the moderns.
- An aged man; a patriarch. Hence: A governor; a ruler; a person of influence.
- A senior; an elder; a predecessor.
- One of the senior members of the Inns of Court or of Chancery.
- An ensign or flag.
- The bearer of a flag; an ensign.

Meaning of 'ancient' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . ancient [ s]
Meaning (1):
- very old
Example in sentence:
  • an ancient mariner
Meaning (2):
- belonging to times long past especially of the historical period before the fall of the Western Roman Empire
Example in sentence:
  • ancient civilizations such as those of the Etruscans and Sumerians;
  • ancient Greece;
  • ancient history

Nearby Words:

ancestor ancestorial ancestorially ancestral ancestress ancestry anchor anchor-hold anchorable anchorage

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