archaic
Use Archaic in a sentence
ɪk adjective
1.
marked by the characteristics of an earlier period; antiquated: an archaic manner; an archaic notion.
2.
(of a linguistic form) commonly used in an earlier time but rare in present-day usage except to suggest the older time, as in religious rituals or historical novels. Examples: thou; wast; methinks; forsooth.
3.
forming the earliest stage; prior to full development: the archaic period of psychoanalytic research.
4.
(often initial capital letter) pertaining to or designating the style of the fine arts, especially painting and sculpture, developed in Greece from the middle 7th to the early 5th century b.c., chiefly characterized by an increased emphasis on the human figure in action, naturalistic proportions and anatomical structure, simplicity of volumes, forms, or design, and the evolution of a definitive style for the narrative treatment of subject matter. Compare classical ( def 6 ), Hellenistic ( def 5 ).
5.
primitive; ancient; old: an archaic form of animal life.
Origin:
1825–35; (< F) < Greek archaïkós antiquated, old-fashioned, equivalent to archaî(os) old + -ikos -ic
1825–35; (< F) < Greek archaïkós antiquated, old-fashioned, equivalent to archaî(os) old + -ikos -ic
Related forms
ar·cha·i·cal·ly, adverb
pseu·do·ar·cha·ic, adjective
pseu·do·ar·cha·i·cal·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To archaic
00:10
Archaic
is a GRE word you need to know.
So is astringent. Does it mean:
| caustic; pungent |
| Showing satisfaction |
Collins
World English Dictionary
archaic (ɑːˈkeɪɪk) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | belonging to or characteristic of a much earlier period; ancient |
| 2. | out of date; antiquated: an archaic prison system |
| 3. | (of idiom, vocabulary, etc) characteristic of an earlier period of a language and not in ordinary use |
| [C19: from French archaïque, from Greek arkhaïkos, from arkhaios ancient, from arkhē beginning, from arkhein to begin] | |
| ar'chaically | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
archaic
1832, originally of words no longer in use, from Fr. archaique, ult. from Gk. arkhaikos "old-fashioned," from arkhaios "ancient," from arkhe "beginning" (see archon).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Recording broke down barriers between cultures, but it also placed more archaic musical forms in danger of extinction.
No offense, but this sounds pretty archaic, especially when dealing with the technologically advanced subject at hand.
The spelling of the quarto text is more archaic than that of the first folio.
Still, many gas producers are happy enough with the archaic pricing structure, particularly when oil prices are high.
Nearby Words
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
