Antiquity is the distant past, especially the time of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.
...famous monuments of classical antiquity.
The town was famous in antiquity for its white bulls.
Synonyms: distant past, ancient times, time immemorial, olden days More Synonyms of antiquity
2. countable noun [usually plural]
Antiquities are things such as buildings, statues, or coins that were made in ancient times and have survived to the present day.
...collectors of Roman antiquities.
Synonyms: antique, ruin, relic More Synonyms of antiquity
3. uncountable noun
The antiquity of something is its great age.
...a town of great antiquity.
It indicates the antiquity of the tradition.
Synonyms: old age, age, oldness, ancientness More Synonyms of antiquity
antiquity in British English
(ænˈtɪkwɪtɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-ties
1.
the quality of being ancient or very old
a vase of great antiquity
2.
the far distant past, esp the time preceding the Middle Ages in Europe
3.
the people of ancient times collectively; the ancients
antiquity in American English
(ænˈtɪkwəti)
nounWord forms: pluralanˈtiquities
1.
the early period of history, esp. before the Middle Ages
2.
the quality of being ancient or old; great age
a statue of great antiquity
3.
the people of ancient times
4. [pl.]
a.
relics, monuments, etc. of the distant past
b.
ancient manners, customs, etc.
Word origin
ME & OFr antiquite < L antiquitas < antiquus: see antique
Examples of 'antiquity' in a sentence
antiquity
A circus strongman who specialised in bending steel bars, he found a lucrative alternative career digging out Egyptian antiquities for wealthy patrons.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Precisely where the looted antiquities are going remains a mystery.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The collection of Egyptian antiquities is the best in the world.
The Sun (2011)
The rock's great antiquity means fanciful myths have grown around it.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Not only are the records there irreplaceable, they are also objects of great beauty and antiquity.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
His great love was antiquities, where his deep knowledge brought much work cataloguing and guaranteeing authenticity.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
At best, modern atheism can be misread back into classical antiquity.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
I ask if his background is in arts and antiquity.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
I account that man more honourable than that great captain of antiquity who boasted of taking as many walled towns.
Herman Melville Moby Dick (1901)
Yet there was an odd mixture of customs in it, some obviously of great antiquity and some that were apparently far more recent.
Patrick O'Brian The Catalans
Throughout antiquity, Egyptian artefacts were thought the most beautiful on earth.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We all sense, knowing it without knowing the details, that radio has great antiquity.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The study of classical antiquity has been pan-European since before the Renaissance.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Many of the major works of classical antiquity found their way into Europe via Arab translations.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The civilizations of classical antiquity used culture and language, but not race, as a basis for making distinctions of superiority and inferiority.
Sanderson, Stephen K. Macrosociology: An Introduction to Human Societies (1995)
Quotations
When my sonnet was rejected, I exclaimed, `Damn the age; I will write for Antiquity!'Charles Lamb
In other languages
antiquity
British English: antiquity NOUN
Antiquity is the distant past, especially the time of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.
...famous monuments of classical antiquity.
American English: antiquity
Brazilian Portuguese: antiguidade
Chinese: 古代 >尤指古埃及、古希腊和古罗马时期
European Spanish: antigüedad
French: antiquité
German: Antike
Italian: antichità
Japanese: 古代
Korean: 고대
European Portuguese: antiguidade
Latin American Spanish: antigüedad
Chinese translation of 'antiquity'
antiquity
(ænˈtɪkwɪtɪ)
n
(u) (= the past) 古代 (gǔdài)
(c) (= old object) 古物 (gǔwù) (件, jiàn)
1 (noun)
Definition
the far distant past
famous monuments of classical antiquity
Synonyms
distant past
ancient times
time immemorial
olden days
2 (noun)
Definition
great age
a town of great antiquity
Synonyms
old age
They worry about how they will support themselves in their old age.
age
Perhaps he has grown wiser with age.
oldness
ancientness
elderliness
3 (noun)
collectors of Roman antiquities
Synonyms
antique
a genuine antique
ruin
relic
Quotation
When my sonnet was rejected, I exclaimed, `Damn the age; I will write for Antiquity!' [Charles Lamb]