antiquity

noun

an·​tiq·​ui·​ty an-ˈti-kwə-tē 

plural antiquities

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

Synonyms of antiquity

• ancientness
• antiquation
• age
• hoariness

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

The Palmyran relief, alongside 14 mosaics taken from a Syrian Roman villa, are part of a collection of 31 Middle Eastern and North African antiquities allegedly brought to New York by trafficker Georges Lotfi. — News Desk, Artforum, 25 Sep. 2026

The récamier is not an especially practical piece of furniture, but one on which a person could pose elegantly and decoratively, especially at a time when fashion favored flowing white dresses inspired by antiquity. — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026

Thirty-six antiquities, collectively valued at more than $5 million, including a stone relief looted from the ancient site of Palmyra, have been retuned to Syria, New York investigators announced on Wednesday. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 24 Sep. 2026

The eclectic spa is filled with curiosities and antiquities, and the food is chef-driven but not fussy, with dishes such as steak frites and salmon. — Jill Robbins, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see antique entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for antiquity

• iniquity
• obliquity
• ubiquity

Kids Definition

antiquity

noun

an·​tiq·​ui·​ty an-ˈtik-wət-ē 

plural antiquities

1

: ancient times

especially : those before the Middle Ages

2

: very great age

3

plural : objects or monuments from ancient times