ancient
Something is ancient if it belongs to a time in the very distant past, usually thousands of years ago. It can also describe something that is extremely old or no longer modern in a more general sense.
Exemples
3 sur 5My grandfather has an ancient radio in the attic that still works.
My grandfather has a very old radio in the top room of his house that still works.
The museum hosts a permanent collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts.
The museum has a long-term display of very old objects from Egypt.
Ugh, my laptop is ancient; it takes ten minutes just to start up.
My computer is very old and slow; it takes a long time to turn on.
Famille de mots
Astuce mémo
Think of the 'A' in Ancient as standing for 'Age-old' or think of a dusty 'Anchor' from an old ship buried in the sand for centuries.
Quiz rapide
The explorers discovered the ____ ruins of a lost city deep in the jungle.
Correct !
La bonne réponse est : ancient
Exemples
My grandfather has an ancient radio in the attic that still works.
everydayMy grandfather has a very old radio in the top room of his house that still works.
The museum hosts a permanent collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts.
formalThe museum has a long-term display of very old objects from Egypt.
Ugh, my laptop is ancient; it takes ten minutes just to start up.
informalMy computer is very old and slow; it takes a long time to turn on.
Ancient civilizations like Mesopotamia developed early systems of writing.
academicVery old societies like Mesopotamia created the first ways to write.
The company's ancient filing system needs to be replaced with a digital one.
businessThe business's very old way of storing papers needs to be updated to a computer system.
Famille de mots
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
since ancient times
from a very long time ago until now
that's ancient history
that happened a long time ago and is no longer important
the ancients
the people who lived in the very distant past
Souvent confondu avec
'Old' can mean something from a few years ago, while 'ancient' usually means hundreds or thousands of years old.
'Antique' usually refers to collectable items like furniture that are at least 100 years old, while 'ancient' refers to history.
Notes d'usage
Use 'ancient' when you want to emphasize that something is from the very distant past, especially related to history. In informal speech, it is often used as an exaggeration to mean something is out of date.
Erreurs courantes
Learners sometimes use 'ancient' to describe an elderly person, which can be seen as impolite or a joke; 'elderly' or 'old' is more appropriate.
Astuce mémo
Think of the 'A' in Ancient as standing for 'Age-old' or think of a dusty 'Anchor' from an old ship buried in the sand for centuries.
Origine du mot
Derived from the Old French word 'ancien', which comes from the Latin word 'ante' meaning 'before'.
Modèles grammaticaux
Contexte culturel
In Western education, 'Ancient' usually refers specifically to the period of the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians before the Fall of Rome.
Quiz rapide
The explorers discovered the ____ ruins of a lost city deep in the jungle.
Correct !
La bonne réponse est : ancient
Grammaire lie
Vocabulaire associé
Mots lis
you
A1Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.
people
A1People refers to a group of human beings or the general public. It is the standard plural form of the word 'person'.
put
A1To move something into a particular place or position. It is a fundamental verb used to describe the act of placing an object or setting a situation in a specific location.
mean
A1To have a specific sense or significance, especially when explaining a word or sign. It can also describe a person's intention or the importance of something to someone.
keep
A1To continue to have or hold something in your possession or at your disposal. It also means to remain in a specific state, condition, or position without changing.
begin
A1To start doing something or for an event to happen for the first time. It is often used to describe the first point of a process or activity.
seem
A1To give the impression of being something or having a particular quality based on what you see or hear. It is used to describe an appearance or feeling that may or may not be the actual truth.
help
A1To make it easier for someone to do something by offering your services, resources, or support. It can involve physical effort, providing information, or giving money to assist a person or a cause.
talk
A1To speak in order to give information or express ideas, feelings, or thoughts. It typically involves a conversation between two or more people or a person addressing an audience.
start
A1To begin doing something or to cause something to happen for the first time. It is frequently used when talking about movements, journeys, or making a machine or engine begin to work.
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