noun
antique
an-TEEK
noun
1
An object, usually furniture or decorative item, valued for being old and often collectible.
"She inherited a beautiful antique writing desk from her grandmother."
"They spent the afternoon browsing an antique shop for old clocks."
adj
1
Belonging to former times; old and often valuable because of its age.
"The house was furnished with antique rugs and paintings."
How to Use Antique
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething (or someone's taste) that is old, often valuable, and from an earlier era.
Easily confused with
antiquated →
antic
Common pairings
antique furniture
antique shop
antique dealer
Word Forms
antiquer comparative, antiqued past tense, antiques plural, antiques singular, antiquest superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “antique”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She inherited a beautiful _____ writing desk from her grandmother.
Etymology
From French antique, ultimately from Latin antiquus ("former, old"), from ante ("before").