archaic

noun

(archaeology, US, usually capitalized) The prehistoric period intermediate between the earliest period (‘Paleo-Indian’, ‘Paleo-American’, ‘American‐paleolithic’, etc.) of human presence in the Western Hemisphere, and the most recent prehistoric period (‘Woodland’, etc.).

(paleoanthropology) (A member of) an archaic variety of Homo sapiens.

adjective

Of or characterized by antiquity; old-fashioned, quaint, antiquated.

(chiefly lexicography, of words) No longer in ordinary use, though still used occasionally to give a sense of antiquity and are still likely to be understood by well-educated speakers and are found in historical texts.

(archaeology) Belonging to the archaic period.

Roots

arkhaiosarcha- · Greek · ancient

Synonyms for archaic

antiquatedadj antediluviann outmodedadj outdatedadj obsoleteadj superannuatedadj obsolescentadj oldadj bygoneadj datedadj

Synonyms & related words for archaic

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Words related to archaic

Explore words related to archaic — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include archaically, archaist, archaistic, primitive, archaize, ancient, archaism, anachronistic. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for archaic

Common synonyms for archaic include antiquated, antediluvian, outmoded, outdated, obsolete, superannuated, obsolescent, old — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does archaic come from?

The word archaic breaks down into one root of Greek origin: the root archa-, from Greek arkhaios (“ancient”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.