archaic

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɑrˈkeɪɪk/ UK /ɑːˈkeɪɪk/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
belonging to an earlier period; old-fashioned or no longer in use

The contract was full of archaic legal phrasing.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · belonging to an earlier... antiquated obsolete old-fashioned outdated ancient antique bygone superannuated

Opposites

modern contemporary current new up-to-date

Word family

Derived forms archaicallyarchaismarchaicize

Related forms archaismarchaeologyarchive

Etymology

From Greek arkhaïkós ('old-fashioned'), from arkhaîos ('ancient, primitive'), from arkhḗ ('beginning'), from árkhein ('to begin, rule').

arkhaïkós Ancient Greek arkhḗ Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Language & Linguistics Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# archaic

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

## Meanings
1. belonging to an earlier period; old-fashioned or no longer in use

## Examples
- The contract was full of archaic legal phrasing.

## Synonyms
- antiquated
- obsolete
- old-fashioned
- outdated
- ancient
- antique
- bygone
- superannuated

## Antonyms
- modern
- contemporary
- current
- new
- up-to-date

## Derived Forms
- archaically
- archaism
- archaicize

## Related Forms
- archaism
- archaeology
- archive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: arkhaïkós
- Root: arkhḗ

## Etymology
From Greek arkhaïkós ('old-fashioned'), from arkhaîos ('ancient, primitive'), from arkhḗ ('beginning'), from árkhein ('to begin, rule').

## AI Etymology
Archaic is from Greek arkhaïkós ('old-fashioned'), from arkhaîos ('ancient, primitive'), from arkhḗ ('beginning'), from árkhein ('to begin, rule'). In present-day use, it means belonging to an earlier period; old-fashioned or no longer in use. Derived formations include archaically, archaism, and archaicize. Related vocabulary includes archaism, archaeology, and archive.

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

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