- (often plural)
a member of a civilized nation in the ancient world, esp a Greek, Roman, or Hebrew - (often plural)
one of the classical authors of Greek or Roman antiquity an old man
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
an•cient1 /ˈeɪnʃənt/USA pronunciation
adj.
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Ancient Historyof, dating from, or in a time long past, esp. before the end of the Western Roman Empire a.d. 476:ancient civilizations of Greece and Egypt.
- very old;
aged:an ancient wise man.
n. [countable]
- the ancients, the civilized people of a long time ago, esp. the Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, and Egyptians:the writings and culture of the ancients.
- a very old person.
an•cient1
(ān′shənt),USA pronunciation adj.
n.
an′cient•ness, n.
an•cient2 (ān′shənt),USA pronunciation n. [Obs.]
- Ancient Historyof or in time long past, esp. before the end of the Western Roman Empire a.d. 476:ancient history.
- dating from a remote period;
of great age:ancient rocks; ancient trees. - very old;
aged:an ancient folk tale. - being old in wisdom and experience;
venerable. - old-fashioned or antique.
n.
- a person who lived in ancient times.
- one of the classical writers of antiquity.
- a very old or aged person, esp. if venerable or patriarchal.
- ancients:
- the civilized peoples, nations, or cultures of antiquity, as the Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, and Egyptians (usually prec. by the).
- the writers, artists, and philosophers of ancient times, esp. those of Greece and Rome.
- Vulgar Latin *antiānus, equivalent. to Latin ante(ā) before (see ante-) + -ānus -an; late Middle English forms with -t- developed by confusion with the present participle ending -nt (see -ent)
- Anglo-French; Old French ancien
- Middle English auncien 1300–50
- 2, 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged Ancient, antiquated, antique, old- fashioned refer to something dating from the past. Ancient implies existence or first occurrence in a distant past:an ancient custom.Antiquated connotes something too old or no longer useful:an antiquated building.Antique suggests a curious or pleasing quality in something old:antique furniture.Old-fashioned may disparage something as being out of date or may approve something old as being superior:an old-fashioned hat; old-fashioned courtesy.
- 2, 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged new, modern.
an•cient2 (ān′shənt),USA pronunciation n. [Obs.]
- the bearer of a flag.
- a flag, banner, or standard;
ensign.
- variant of ensign by confusion with ancient1 1545–55
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'Ancient Egypt' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Ahmose I
- Akhetaton
- Apis
- Aten
- Benu
- Canopic jar
- Canopus
- Egyptiac
- Egyptian calendar
- Egyptology
- Goshen
- Heliopolis
- Hyksos
- Ibizan hound
- Memnon
- Merneptah
- Middle Kingdom
- Mycerinus
- New Kingdom
- Old Kingdom
- Ptah
- Ramses
- Ramses I
- Ramses II
- Ramses III
- Saïs
- Serbonian
- Sesostris I
- Thebes
- Valley of the Kings
- breasted
- canopic jar
- chariot
- demotic
- hieratic
- hieroglyphic
- hieroglyphics
- lotus
- mastaba
- mummy
- nome
- obelisk
- pyramid
- scarab
- sistrum
- solar chariot
- solar ship
- sphinx
- sun disc
- uraeus