Antediluvian
adjective /ˌæn.ti.dɪˈluː.vi.ən/ — Of the time before the biblical Flood; ridiculously outdated.
Definition
Relating to or belonging to the time before the biblical Flood. In general use: extremely old-fashioned or outdated. The word carries the weight of the very oldest past — not just yesterday but before the Flood.
Beyond the definition
Calling something antediluvian is to say: this is not just old. It predates the first great reset. It belongs to a world that was washed away. The word has humour in it — drama in service of mild criticism.
Origin & history
Latin: 'ante' (before) + 'diluvium' (flood). From 'diluere' (to wash away). The biblical flood in Genesis as a dividing line in history between a before and an after.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
His attitude to women's employment was antediluvian — not merely dated, but foundationally wrong.
The office technology was antediluvian: fax machines, paper forms, filing cabinets.
Some antediluvian customs survive because they happen to be correct, not because they are old.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Antediluvian” when the meaning fits your context: Relating to or belonging to the time before the biblical Flood. In general use: extremely old-fashioned or outdated. The word carries the weight of the very oldest past — not just yesterday but before the Flood.
Synonyms
archaic, prehistoric, ancient, outdated
Antonyms
modern, contemporary, cutting-edge
Related words
Antediluvian vs prehistoric
Antediluvian specifically refers to the time before the biblical flood or is used to describe something ridiculously outdated. Prehistoric refers to any time before the invention of writing.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Naturalist’s Workbench Beside Hillside
A naturalist’s workbench features a layered sedimentary stone, a spiral fossil, and quartz beside a cutaway cliff.
The fossil, buried deep in the ancient strata of the cliff, carries the weight of the antediluvian past—existing long before recorded time, serving as a signifier of the oldest history.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Antediluvian" mean?
Antediluvian is adjective meaning: Of the time before the biblical Flood; ridiculously outdated.. Relating to or belonging to the time before the biblical Flood. In general use: extremely old-fashioned or outdated. The word carries the weight of the very oldest past — not just yesterday but before the Flood.
Where does the word "Antediluvian" come from?
Latin: 'ante' (before) + 'diluvium' (flood). From 'diluere' (to wash away). The biblical flood in Genesis as a dividing line in history between a before and an after.