archaic

adjective

ar·​cha·​ic är-ˈkā-ik How to pronounce archaic (audio)
1
: having the characteristics of the language of the past and surviving chiefly in specialized uses
an archaic word

Note: In this dictionary the label archaic is affixed to words and senses relatively common in earlier times but infrequently used in present-day English.

2
: of, relating to, or characteristic of an earlier or more primitive time : antiquated
archaic legal traditions
3
capitalized : of or belonging to the early or formative phases of a culture or a period of artistic development
especially : of or belonging to the period leading up to the classical period of Greek culture
4
: surviving from an earlier period
specifically : typical of a previously dominant evolutionary stage
5
capitalized : of or relating to the period from about 8000 b.c. to 1000 b.c. and the North American cultures of that time
archaically adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for archaic

old, ancient, venerable, antique, antiquated, archaic, obsolete mean having come into existence or use in the more or less distant past.

old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence.

old houses
an old sweater of mine

ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past.

ancient accounts of dragons

venerable stresses the impressiveness and dignity of great age.

the family's venerable patriarch

antique applies to what has come down from a former or ancient time.

collected antique Chippendale furniture

antiquated implies being discredited or outmoded or otherwise inappropriate to the present time.

antiquated teaching methods

archaic implies having the character or characteristics of a much earlier time.

the play used archaic language to convey a sense of period

obsolete may apply to something regarded as no longer acceptable or useful even though it is still in existence.

a computer that makes earlier models obsolete

Examples of archaic in a Sentence

The author is a bluestocking, with a weakness for etymology and archaic religious texts, her body of work lauded for revealing the sacred in the ordinary. Kathryn Harrison, New York Times Book Review, 21 Dec. 2008
Europe's economic growth and productivity, Judt reminds us, for all the horror stories about archaic work regulations and inflexible labor markets, has remained impressive up to the current moment. John T. McGreevy, Commonweal, 24 Mar. 2006
Between the upper limit of radiocarbon dating (about 50 ka) and the lower limit of radiogenic potassium dating (about 0.5 Ma) there used to exist a chronological lacuna that I call the Gap. This temporal range encompasses the transition of archaic humans into fully modern forms, so the lack of a reliable means of dating fossils from the Gap was disconcerting. Ervan G. Garrison, Physics Today, October 2001
The company needs to update its archaic computer systems.
Recent Examples on the Web Instead of underscoring some of the tale’s contemporary feminist resonance, this quaintly archaic tableau vivant reminds us of the artifice and artificiality of Reymont’s story, placing it at a remove, rather than within reach. Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 Reflecting different migration waves, others ply their trade in Spanish, Chinese or Plautdietsch, an archaic Germanic language influenced by Dutch. Simon Romero Alejandro Cegarra, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 In Protest Trump Defeats Haley In Michigan Republican Primary—On Track To Clinch Nomination Next Month ‘Shogun’ Episode 1 ‘Anjin’ Review: A Captivating Series Premiere But that archaic 1990s SMS technology is still here, and it’s built into every one of our smartphones. Zak Doffman, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 There’s archeological evidence that archaic humans used fire sporadically as far back as 1.6 million years ago. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 27 Feb. 2024 Bham contrasts those archaic rituals with the Tibetan Buddhist ceremonies that Karma and other monks partake in, revealing a spiritual path that lies outside the strict social guidelines of the community (the term Shambhala refers to a spiritual kingdom or paradise). Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2024 Democrats say the money is meant to help the IRS ramp up its enforcement efforts on high-income taxpayers as well as improve its archaic taxpayer services system. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 25 Jan. 2024 Senators shouldn’t get to hide behind an archaic rule to avoid taking specific votes. David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 5 Feb. 2024 Bewilderingly, the prison cell is centered around an archaic grist mill. Clark Collis, EW.com, 27 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'archaic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French or Greek; French archaïque, from Greek archaïkos, from archaios

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of archaic was in 1810

Dictionary Entries Near archaic

Cite this Entry

“Archaic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/archaic. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

archaic

adjective
ar·​cha·​ic är-ˈkā-ik How to pronounce archaic (audio)
: of, relating to, characteristic of, or surviving from an earlier time
especially : no longer in general use
the archaic words "methinks" and "saith"

Medical Definition

archaic

adjective
ar·​cha·​ic är-ˈkā-ik How to pronounce archaic (audio)
1
: typical of a previously dominant evolutionary stage
archaic features of a fossil skull
2
: having the characteristics of primitive humans and their animal forebears especially as represented in the unconscious and appearing in behavior as manifestations of the unconscious

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