antiquity

noun

an·​tiq·​ui·​ty an-ˈti-kwə-tē How to pronounce antiquity (audio)
plural antiquities
Synonyms of antiquitynext
1
: ancient times
especially : those before the Middle Ages
a town that dates from antiquity
2
: the quality of being ancient
a castle of great antiquity
3
antiquities plural
a
: relics or monuments (such as coins, statues, or buildings) of ancient times
a museum of Greek antiquities
b
: matters relating to the life or culture of ancient times
the study of Germanic antiquities
4
: the people of ancient times
records left by antiquity

Examples of antiquity in a Sentence

The town dates from antiquity. A palace stood here in antiquity. a museum of Roman antiquities
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Despite the site being vulnerable to antiquities looting in the past, the artifacts miraculously survived 1,400 years. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 30 Dec. 2025 Along the coast in Pacific Palisades and Malibu, the Getty Villa Museum—set in a Roman-style country home and filled with Greek and Roman antiquities—is welcoming visitors again after a close call with the flames. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 15 Dec. 2025 An Italian archaeological mission has discovered the remains of a sun temple belonging to an ancient Egyptian king near Cairo, the Egyptian antiquities ministry said. CBS News, 15 Dec. 2025 Meanwhile in London this year, antiquities dealer the Kallos Gallery pulled an ancient Greek amphora from sale after Tsirogiannis highlighted it in Medici’s archive. Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 13 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for antiquity

Word History

Etymology

see antique entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of antiquity was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Antiquity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antiquity. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

antiquity

noun
an·​tiq·​ui·​ty an-ˈtik-wət-ē How to pronounce antiquity (audio)
plural antiquities
1
: ancient times
especially : those before the Middle Ages
2
: very great age
3
plural : objects or monuments from ancient times

More from Merriam-Webster on antiquity

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