ancient

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   very old

   an ancient mariner

2. 2
   adj

   belonging to times long past especially of the historical period before the fall of the Western Roman Empire

   ancient history

3. 3
   adj

   Having lasted from a remote period; having been of long duration; of great age, very old.

   an ancient city

4. 4
   adj

   Existent or occurring in time long past, usually in remote ages; belonging to or associated with antiquity; old, as opposed to modern.

   an ancient author

5. 5
   adj

   Experienced; versed.

   approved by the consent of the moste ancient doctors of the Churche [part of the book title]

6. 6
   adj

   Former; sometime.

   They mourned their ancient leader lost.

7. 7
   noun

   A person who is very old.

   Hetty and Mrs. Piper watched them with a lynx-eyed understanding and before the ancient was well upon his road his way was blocked by Hetty.

8. 8
   noun

   A person who lived in ancient times.

   What is ancient for us was in its own time a reworking of what was ancient for the ancients.

Etymology

From Middle English auncyen, from Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin *anteānus, composed of Latin ante (“before”) + -ānus (adjective-forming suffix). The non-etymological /t/ is by analogy with the common ending -ent.