antique
/anˈtiːk
/noun
A collectable object such as a piece of furniture or work of art that has a high value because of its age and quality: Pauline loves collecting antiques [as modifier]: an antique dealer...
- A wide selection of quality antiques and collectables for sale.
- His hobbies include collecting antiques, hats and matches, opera, golf and of course, his horses.
- It's huge, vast, echoing, filled with pieces of Bali, antiques, art pieces, a huge chair collection.
Synonyms
collector's item, period piece, museum piece, antiquity, object of virtu;
heirloom;
treasure, relic, curio;
French objet d'art
rare bygone
adjective
1Having a high value because of age and quality: an antique clock...
- Get your antique treasures valued as part of Hextable Heritage Centre's annual heritage day.
- Very old pieces with their original finish should usually not be repainted or refinished as you may remove the indications of their authenticity and antique value.
- Her technique has a photographic quality that mimics antique silver gelatin prints.
1.1Intended to resemble the appearance of high-quality old furniture: bookshelves with an antique finish...
- The distinctive finish on these mouldings is hand applied to create an antique appearance.
- All elements are placed on antique looking furniture, teapoys, plant stands and traditional Irani chairs.
- The crevices of the bead or charm are darkened to give it an antique appearance.
Synonyms
old, antiquarian, collectable;
vintage, classic
2Belonging to ancient times: statues of antique gods...
- Upon them sat antique pots holding ancient plants nobly maintaining their vainglory and smugness as they grew greedily towards the late summer sunshine.
- During these centuries scores of collectors who saw themselves as connoisseurs of ancient civilizations brought antique marbles to England.
- He prized antique and ancient things and artifacts.
Synonyms
ancient, of long ago;
classical
literary of yore
2.1Old-fashioned or outdated: antique work practices...
- It's very pretty… looks somewhat antique and old-fashioned.
- Unimpeded by antique censorship codes or outdated moral guidelines, they lent a painful emotional truth and sometimes savage sexual energy to characters who lived on the edge.
- The Post Office Room features a collection of antique telephones including old-fashioned manual exchanges.
Synonyms
out of date, outdated, outmoded, old-fashioned, archaic, antiquated, anachronistic, ancient, antediluvian, superannuated, outworn, behind the times, primitive, medieval, quaint, old-fangled, obsolescent, obsolete, prehistoric;
French passé
informal out of the ark, fossilized, as old as the hills, old hat, creaky, clunky, mouldy
British informal past its/one's sell-by date
North American informal horse and buggy, mossy
2.2 humorous Showing signs of great age or wear: the kitchen had an antique cooker...
- Even though his vision could have easily been corrected he preferred to wear an antique pair of glasses.
- Musetta, looking like an overdressed silent-movie vamp, drives up with her ancient admirer in a sputtering antique automobile.
- Pinakos teeth were gritted, biting her pipe, and her frown was making even more wrinkles appear on her antique face.
verb (antiques, antiquing, antiqued) [with object]
Make (something) resemble an antique by artificial means: sanding will change the lustre of the sanded spot, especially if the finish has been antiqued...
- Bronze, pewter and antiqued gold are all in the fashion frame, too, and will come over as breathtakingly sophisticated at any age.
- Oh and the inside is completely antiqued except for Rob's room, my room and my dad's big screen TV smack in the middle of my mom's ‘foyer’.
- I got her some letterpress stationery and I bought a reproduction campaign writing lap desk, and antiqued it, and carved her name in the lid.
Origin
Late 15th century (as an adjective): from Latin antiquus, anticus 'former, ancient', from ante 'before'.