Archaic
Belonging to an earlier time; very old-fashioned or outdated; no longer in general use.
adjectiveArchaic
Belonging to an earlier time; very old-fashioned or outdated; no longer in general use.
adjectiveImagine This
Imagine stepping into a medieval library where books are written in long-forgotten spellings and the shelves are carved with ancient arches, making you feel you’ve stepped into a time long past.
Sounds Like
ar-KAY-ik
Looks Like
Visually resembles other archaic terms and often shares the root arch- relating to ancient times
Remember This
The root arch- appears in many words about the past (archaeology, archive). Archaic comes from Greek archaios meaning ancient, from arkhe meaning beginning or origin.
Other Forms
Connect With
ancient, antique, obsolete, old-fashioned; archaism, archaeology, archive, antiquity
Note
Archaic describes language, objects, or ideas that belong to an earlier period and are no longer current. It implies obsolescence and historical dating rather than mere antiquity. Distinguish from simply 'ancient' when the sense is that something is outdated or no longer used.