plural antiquities
Synonyms of antiquity
1
: ancient times
especially : those before the Middle Ages
a town that dates from antiquity
2
: the quality of being ancient
a castle of great antiquity
3
antiquities plural
a
: relics or monuments (such as coins, statues, or buildings) of ancient times
a museum of Greek antiquities
b
: matters relating to the life or culture of ancient times
the study of Germanic antiquities
4
: the people of ancient times
records left by antiquity

Examples of antiquity in a Sentence

The town dates from antiquity. A palace stood here in antiquity. a museum of Roman antiquities
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Her father, Isidor, was a well-to-do art-and-antiquities dealer, and her mother, Hedwig, was active in Jewish causes. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 Burnham, who has long supported the antiquities’ return to Athens over the last 25 years of his career, was considered by Greek officials to be the best hope of finally ending the feud. — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026 The Palmyran relief, alongside 14 mosaics taken from a Syrian Roman villa, are part of a collection of 31 Middle Eastern and North African antiquities allegedly brought to New York by trafficker Georges Lotfi. — News Desk, Artforum, 25 Sep. 2026 The récamier is not an especially practical piece of furniture, but one on which a person could pose elegantly and decoratively, especially at a time when fashion favored flowing white dresses inspired by antiquity. — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for antiquity

Word History

Etymology

see antique entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of antiquity was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Antiquity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antiquity. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

antiquity

noun
plural antiquities
1
: ancient times
especially : those before the Middle Ages
2
: very great age
3
plural : objects or monuments from ancient times
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