relic

UK: /ˈrɛlɪk/ US: /ˈrɛlɪk/ ,(rel′ik)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

rel•ic /ˈrɛlɪk/   n. [countable]

1. something having interest because of its age or its connection with the past;
   a surviving trace of something.
2. Religion a body part, or personal object that belonged to a saint and that is kept as worthy of respect.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

rel•ic  (rel′ik), n. 

1. a surviving memorial of something past.
2. an object having interest by reason of its age or its association with the past:
   a museum of historic relics.
3. a surviving trace of something:
   a custom that is a relic of paganism.
4. relics:
   • remaining parts or fragments.
   • the remains of a deceased person.
5. something kept in remembrance;
   souvenir;
   memento.
6. Religion [Eccles.] (esp. in the Roman Catholic and Greek churches) the body, a part of the body, or some personal memorial of a saint, martyr, or other sacred person, preserved as worthy of veneration.
7. Linguistics a once widespread linguistic form that survives in a limited area but is otherwise obsolete.

• Latin reliquiae (plural) remains ( Old English reliquias), equivalent. to reliqu(us) remaining + -iae plural noun, nominal suffix
• Old French relique
• Middle English 1175–1225

rel′ic•like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

relic / ˈrɛlɪk/ noun

1. something that has survived from the past, such as an object or custom
2. something kept as a remembrance or treasured for its past associations; keepsake
3. (usually plural) a remaining part or fragment
4. part of the body of a saint or something supposedly used by or associated with a saint, venerated as holy
5. an old or old-fashioned person or thing
6. (plural) the remains of a dead person; corpse
7. a less common term for relict1

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French relique, from Latin reliquiae remains, from relinquere to leave behind, relinquish