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
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
From the treatises of antiquity to the novels of Jane Austen to the economics of Thomas Piketty, writers of all sorts have understood the overlap between unions of soul and contracts of need.
—
Corey Robin, The New Yorker, 29 June 2024
The space previously welcomed visitors to Levett’s collection of antiquities, which has been replaced with artworks by women, from the 19th -century Impressionists to contemporary artists.
—The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 24 June 2024
It’s modeled after factoring, the commercial practice going back into antiquity in which a company sells its accounts receivable — what it’s owed but has not yet been paid — at a discount to get cash in hand.
—Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2024
The opera's history involves antiquity, archeology, and Bugs Bunny.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for antiquity 
Corey Robin, The New Yorker, 29 June 2024
The space previously welcomed visitors to Levett’s collection of antiquities, which has been replaced with artworks by women, from the 19th -century Impressionists to contemporary artists.
—The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 24 June 2024
It’s modeled after factoring, the commercial practice going back into antiquity in which a company sells its accounts receivable — what it’s owed but has not yet been paid — at a discount to get cash in hand.
—Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2024
The opera's history involves antiquity, archeology, and Bugs Bunny.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for antiquity
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'antiquity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near antiquity
Cite this Entry
“Antiquity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antiquity. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
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