anachronism

noun

anach·ro·nism ə-ˈna-krə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce anachronism (audio)

: an error in chronology

especially : a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other

found several anachronisms in the movie

: a person or a thing that is chronologically out of place

especially : one from a former age that is incongruous in the present

By the time I reached my teens, the housewife was an anachronism, replaced on television by the perky, glamorous, character of That Girl, Marlo Thomas, who kept her boyfriend at bay in the interest of pursuing her acting career.

Joyce Maynard

: the state or condition of being chronologically out of place

anachronistic

ə-ˌna-krə-ˈni-stik How to pronounce anachronism (audio)

adjective

or less commonly anachronic

ˌa-nə-ˈkrä-nik How to pronounce anachronism (audio)

anachronistically

ə-ˌna-krə-ˈni-sti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce anachronism (audio)

adverb

anachronous

ə-ˈna-krə-nəs How to pronounce anachronism (audio)

adjective

anachronously adverb

Did you know?

An anachronism is something that is out of place in terms of time or chronology. The word derives from chronos, the Greek word for "time," and ana-, a Greek prefix meaning "up," "back," or "again." In its earliest English use, anachronism referred to an error in the dating of something (as, for example, in etymology, when a word or use is mistakenly assumed to have arisen earlier than it did). Anachronisms were sometimes distinguished from parachronisms, chronological errors in which dates are set later than is correct. But parachronism did not stand the test of time. It is now a very rare word.

Example Sentences

In our modern world of pre-made, rush-rush, tightly scheduled lives, Amanda Blake Soule is an anachronism. At their home in coastal Maine, her family of six makes most of what they use—everything from bread and crafts to clothes and toys.

Jean Van't Hul, Mothering, March/April 2009 The spy thriller is a genre that arguably should have died fifteen years ago, and its continued popularity seems an anachronism at first glance.

Rand Richards Cooper, Commonweal, 14 Sept. 2007 With few exceptions, work opportunities for older people diminished after the Civil War as the United States metamorphosed into an urban-industrial order, inaugurating a second phase in the history of retirement. The village blacksmith became an anachronism as the craftsman retreated before the new mass-production industries.

W. Andrew Achenbaum, Wilson Quarterly, Spring 2006 But Shakespeare may have drifted into anachronism here. According to Rogers, food in France at the time of Agincourt was probably just as meaty and unsophisticated as it was in England.

Jonathan Ree, Prospect, August, 2003 It is true that in the closing years of the century William Jennings Bryan could still rise to national political leadership through his superb oratorical skills, but it is equally true that he lived to see himself become an anachronism, the bearer of a style redolent of an earlier culture.

Lawrence W. Levine, The Unpredictable Past, 1993 The novel is full of anachronisms. He's an old-fashioned politician who is seen by many of his colleagues as an anachronism. See More

Recent Examples on the Web But is the equation an anachronism in an age when interest rates and bond yields remain historically low despite a recent series of rate hikes by the Federal Reserve?

Paul R. La Monica, CNN, 11 Aug. 2022 Like Hamilton, Six cracks open the dusty history books and brings its source material up to date with unapologetic anachronism while sharing its disregard for historical accuracy in terms of casting.

Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 28 May 2022 Far from being an anachronism, NATO is the chief vehicle for their collective security.

Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 27 June 2022 But brand has been difficult to measure—an anachronism in the internet era.

Scott Turner, Forbes, 29 June 2022 Or look to watches, already an anachronism in our age of to-the-millisecond digital accuracy.

Paul Croughton, Robb Report, 19 June 2022 Upon her own death, the art dealer's bequest to the Smithsonian included a portrait of Lexington by Scott, an anachronism among her modern collection.

Heller Mcalpin, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 June 2022 That remark about the British, pointed in its anachronism, prompts disagreement from the only other character in the play, Atung (Daniel K. Isaac).

Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2022 The document enshrined for the first time in writing the idea that the executive branch of government (sorry for the anachronism) was forced to yield to what amounted to the first parliament.

Roger Valdez, Forbes, 2 May 2022 See More

单词	anachronistic
释义	anachronism noun anach·ro·nism ə-ˈna-krə-ˌni-zəm 1 : an error in chronology especially : a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other found several anachronisms in the movie 2 : a person or a thing that is chronologically out of place especially : one from a former age that is incongruous in the present By the time I reached my teens, the housewife was an anachronism, replaced on television by the perky, glamorous, character of That Girl, Marlo Thomas, who kept her boyfriend at bay in the interest of pursuing her acting career. Joyce Maynard 3 : the state or condition of being chronologically out of place anachronistic ə-ˌna-krə-ˈni-stik adjective or less commonly anachronic ˌa-nə-ˈkrä-nik anachronistically ə-ˌna-krə-ˈni-sti-k(ə-)lē adverb anachronous ə-ˈna-krə-nəs adjective anachronously adverb Did you know? An anachronism is something that is out of place in terms of time or chronology. The word derives from chronos, the Greek word for "time," and ana-, a Greek prefix meaning "up," "back," or "again." In its earliest English use, anachronism referred to an error in the dating of something (as, for example, in etymology, when a word or use is mistakenly assumed to have arisen earlier than it did). Anachronisms were sometimes distinguished from parachronisms, chronological errors in which dates are set later than is correct. But parachronism did not stand the test of time. It is now a very rare word. Example Sentences In our modern world of pre-made, rush-rush, tightly scheduled lives, Amanda Blake Soule is an anachronism. At their home in coastal Maine, her family of six makes most of what they use—everything from bread and crafts to clothes and toys. Jean Van't Hul, Mothering, March/April 2009 The spy thriller is a genre that arguably should have died fifteen years ago, and its continued popularity seems an anachronism at first glance. Rand Richards Cooper, Commonweal, 14 Sept. 2007 With few exceptions, work opportunities for older people diminished after the Civil War as the United States metamorphosed into an urban-industrial order, inaugurating a second phase in the history of retirement. The village blacksmith became an anachronism as the craftsman retreated before the new mass-production industries. W. Andrew Achenbaum, Wilson Quarterly, Spring 2006 But Shakespeare may have drifted into anachronism here. According to Rogers, food in France at the time of Agincourt was probably just as meaty and unsophisticated as it was in England. Jonathan Ree, Prospect, August, 2003 It is true that in the closing years of the century William Jennings Bryan could still rise to national political leadership through his superb oratorical skills, but it is equally true that he lived to see himself become an anachronism, the bearer of a style redolent of an earlier culture. Lawrence W. Levine, The Unpredictable Past, 1993 The novel is full of anachronisms. He's an old-fashioned politician who is seen by many of his colleagues as an anachronism. See More Recent Examples on the Web But is the equation an anachronism in an age when interest rates and bond yields remain historically low despite a recent series of rate hikes by the Federal Reserve? Paul R. La Monica, CNN, 11 Aug. 2022 Like Hamilton, Six cracks open the dusty history books and brings its source material up to date with unapologetic anachronism while sharing its disregard for historical accuracy in terms of casting. Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 28 May 2022 Far from being an anachronism, NATO is the chief vehicle for their collective security. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 27 June 2022 But brand has been difficult to measure—an anachronism in the internet era. Scott Turner, Forbes, 29 June 2022 Or look to watches, already an anachronism in our age of to-the-millisecond digital accuracy. Paul Croughton, Robb Report, 19 June 2022 Upon her own death, the art dealer's bequest to the Smithsonian included a portrait of Lexington by Scott, an anachronism among her modern collection. Heller Mcalpin, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 June 2022 That remark about the British, pointed in its anachronism, prompts disagreement from the only other character in the play, Atung (Daniel K. Isaac). Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2022 The document enshrined for the first time in writing the idea that the executive branch of government (sorry for the anachronism) was forced to yield to what amounted to the first parliament. Roger Valdez, Forbes, 2 May 2022 See More Word History Etymology probably from Middle Greek anachronismos, from anachronizesthai to be an anachronism, from Late Greek anachronizein to be late, from Greek ana- + chronos time First Known Use 1617, in the meaning defined at sense 1 anachronistic adjective variants also anachronic as in obsolete belonging to an earlier time period The fashions that were all the rage just five years ago seem like anachronistic leftovers today. Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance obsolete antiquated vintage traditional historical historic anachronous antique forgotten outmoded ancient outdated quaint retro passé dated fusty outworn stodgy retrograde old-timey olden moldy antediluvian old-fashioned atavistic fossilized superannuated out-of-date past late old-time venerable old-world rinky-dink hoary old-school bygone aged old hat erstwhile musty oldfangled timeless age-old ageless former moth-eaten remote dateless Antonyms & Near Antonyms modern new contemporary modernistic current newfangled fresh modernist ultramodern fashionable hot stylish modernized chic new age smart updated futuristic mod designer new-fashioned latest space-age renewed nontraditional up-to-date present-day last refurbished state-of-the-art remodeled recent red-hot high-tech hi-tech latter-day See More
随便看	mentallier mentalliest mentally mentally ill mentally retarded mentals mentation mentations Mentaweian mentaweians mentd mentee mentes reae menth- Menthaceae menthaceous menthadiene menthae menthane menthanol menthas menthene menthenes menthenol menthenone

anachronism

noun

Did you know?

Example Sentences

Word History

adjective