# ancient

Pronunciation: say "AYN-shuhnt" /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/

## Adjective

1. Belonging to or existing in the distant past, especially the period of history before the Middle Ages.
   - Simple: From a time very long ago in history, such as the time of the Greeks and Romans.
   - _Archaeologists uncovered an ancient city buried beneath the desert sand._
   - _These ruins date back to an ancient civilization that vanished thousands of years ago._
2. Having lasted from a remote period; of great age; very old.
   - Simple: Very old, having existed for a very long time.
   - _The ancient oak in the churchyard has stood for over five hundred years._
   - _Her family lived in an ancient farmhouse that predated the village itself._

## Noun

3. Someone who lived in times long past, especially in the early periods of history.
   - Simple: Someone who lived a very long time ago, in the early periods of history.
   - _The ancients had no telescopes, yet they tracked the planets across the night sky with remarkable care._
   - _To an ancient, a solar eclipse may well have seemed a terrifying sign that the gods were angry._
4. A very old person, or an elder.
   - Simple: A very old person.
   - _The ancient by the fire told stories of his youth._
   - _Two ancients sat on the porch, watching the children play._

## Adjective

5. Former; one-time; belonging to an earlier time. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Coming from an earlier time, or former.
6. Having much experience; well versed in something through long practice. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Skilled and experienced because of long practice.

## Noun

7. A flag of any kind, including a banner, an ensign, or a standard. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A flag or banner, such as one flown on a ship or carried by soldiers.
8. One who carries a flag or standard; an ensign. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A soldier who carries a flag in battle.

## Other meanings

- (noun) A senior member of one of the Inns of Court or of Chancery, the English legal societies.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–6** — Latin ante ("before") plus the adjective suffix -ānus formed Vulgar Latin *anteānus. That became Old French ancien and then Middle English auncyen. The /t/, which does not belong to the original word, was added on the model of the common ending -ent.
**Meanings 7–8** — This sense is a corruption of the word 'ensign.'

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/ancient (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).