Antique
noun /ænˈtiːk/ — An object made beautiful and valuable by the quality of its age.
Definition
An object, typically decorative or made by hand, that has survived long enough to acquire rarity and historical significance — usually more than a century old.
Beyond the definition
An antique is time made visible. When you hold one, you're touching something that has outlasted the person who made it, the person who loved it, entire ways of living. There's something quietly humbling about that.
Origin & history
From Latin antiquus — old, ancient, former (from ante: before). The word that means 'from before' — before our time, before memory, before.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The shop smelled of wood polish and antiques — things that had chosen to survive.
She didn't collect antiques for value; she collected them for the stories she imagined each one carried.
There's a difference between something old and something antique — one is aged, the other is still alive.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Antique” when the meaning fits your context: An object, typically decorative or made by hand, that has survived long enough to acquire rarity and historical significance — usually more than a century old.
Synonyms
Antonyms
reproduction, replica, modern piece
Related words
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
Ancient Book in Archive
An adult in a quiet archive holds open a single, heavy, ancient book, its parchment pages filled with handwritten, old records and ink.
An antique is an object that has survived long enough to acquire historical significance. The heavy, parchment-filled book itself is a clear antique, its existence as a record from a past era providing a tangible connection to the history and knowledge that has been preserved across time.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Antique" mean?
Antique is noun meaning: An object made beautiful and valuable by the quality of its age.. An object, typically decorative or made by hand, that has survived long enough to acquire rarity and historical significance — usually more than a century old.
Where does the word "Antique" come from?
From Latin antiquus — old, ancient, former (from ante: before). The word that means 'from before' — before our time, before memory, before.