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.
But the streets of suburbia are very tame compared to the paths of antiquity. — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 There were big things in antiquity—the pyramids of Egypt and Mexico; the Colossus of Rhodes, which stood at two thirds the height of the Statue of Liberty until an earthquake snapped it at the knees in 226 BCE—but there weren’t many of them. — Bill McKibben, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026 The shrine is the place where two ancient Jewish temples stood in antiquity, and it is considered by Jews to be the holiest spot on Earth. — Ilan Ben Zion, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Oct. 2026 On Tuesday, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) returned 22 antiquities to Greece. — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 14 Oct. 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 20 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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