archival

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌɑɹˈkaɪv(ə)l/ UK /ɑːˈkaɪv(ə)l/ See IPA manual

Freq #65402

Meanings

1

adj
Relating to an archive or to old records and documents kept for the future.

The documentary used rare archival footage from the 1940s.
2

adj
Made to last a long time and suitable for safely storing valuable items.

The photos were printed on archival paper so they would not fade.

Thesaurus

Word family

Derived forms archivalismarchivallynonarchivalprearchival

Related forms archive archivistarchivizee-archive

Etymology

The adjective is derived from archive (“place for storing earlier, and often historical, material; material so kept, considered as a whole”, noun) + -al (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives). The noun is derived from archive (“to put (something) in an archive”, verb) + -al (suffix forming nouns, especially of verbal action).

*h₂ergʰ- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# archival

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌɑɹˈkaɪv(ə)l/
**IPA (UK):** /ɑːˈkaɪv(ə)l/
**Frequency rank:** 65402

## Meanings
1. Relating to an archive or to old records and documents kept for the future.
2. Made to last a long time and suitable for safely storing valuable items.

## Examples
- The documentary used rare archival footage from the 1940s.
- The photos were printed on archival paper so they would not fade.

## Derived Forms
- archivalism
- archivally
- nonarchival
- prearchival

## Related Forms
- archive
- archivist
- archivize
- e-archive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₂ergʰ-

## Etymology
The adjective is derived from archive (“place for storing earlier, and often historical, material; material so kept, considered as a whole”, noun) + -al (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives). The noun is derived from archive (“to put (something) in an archive”, verb) + -al (suffix forming nouns, especially of verbal action).

## AI Etymology
Archival: the adjective is derived from archive (“place for storing earlier, and often historical, material; material so kept, considered as a whole”, noun) + -al (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives). The noun is derived from archive (“to put (something) in an archive”, verb) + -al (suffix forming nouns, especially of verbal action). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include *h₂ergʰ- (Proto-Indo-European). Current senses include relating to an archive or to old records and documents kept for the future and made to last a long time and suitable for safely storing valuable items. The wider family includes derived forms such as archivalism, archivally, nonarchival, and prearchival; related words such as archive, archivist, archivize, and e-archive.

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

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