adj
archaic
ah-KAY-ihk
adj
1
Old-fashioned or belonging to an earlier time; no longer in common use.
"The contract still used archaic legal language like "heretofore"."
"His archaic views on marriage surprised his younger colleagues."
How to Use Archaic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBelonging to an earlier period and seeming outdated now.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "arcane" (obscure/secret) — "archaic" is specifically about being old or outdated, not about being hard to understand.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
archaic language
archaic law
archaic term
Word Forms
more archaic comparative, archaics plural, most archaic superlative
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The contract still used _____ legal language like "heretofore".
Etymology
From Greek arkhaikos, "old-fashioned", from arkhaios, "ancient", ultimately from arkhe, "beginning".