antediluvial

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌæntɪdɪˈluviəl/ UK /ˌæntɪdɪˈluːviəl/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
belonging to the period before the biblical flood; extremely ancient

The fossil dated from an antediluvial epoch.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · belonging to the period... antediluvian ancient primeval prehistoric archaic

Opposites

modernpostdiluviancontemporary

Word family

Related forms antediluvian diluvial deluge

Etymology

From Latin ante- ('before') + dīluvium ('flood, deluge'), from dīluere ('to wash away'), from dis- ('apart') + luere ('to wash').

ante Old French dīluvium Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# antediluvial

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌæntɪdɪˈluviəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌæntɪdɪˈluːviəl/

## Meanings
1. belonging to the period before the biblical flood; extremely ancient

## Examples
- The fossil dated from an antediluvial epoch.

## Synonyms
- antediluvian
- ancient
- primeval
- prehistoric
- archaic

## Antonyms
- modern
- postdiluvian
- contemporary

## Related Forms
- antediluvian
- diluvial
- deluge

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ante
- Root: dīluvium

## Etymology
From Latin ante- ('before') + dīluvium ('flood, deluge'), from dīluere ('to wash away'), from dis- ('apart') + luere ('to wash').

## AI Etymology
Antediluvial is from Latin ante- ('before') + dīluvium ('flood, deluge'), from dīluere ('to wash away'), from dis- ('apart') + luere ('to wash'). In present-day use, it means belonging to the period before the biblical flood; extremely ancient. Related vocabulary includes antediluvian, diluvial, and deluge.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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