Antique
/ænˈtiːk/noun
An object, style, or item made in an earlier period and valued for its age or rarity.
Did you know?Antique comes from Latin *antiquus*, meaning “ancient” or “former,” and its deeper root is tied to being “before” in time, not to anything mystical despite its aura of old-world power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ant-
“front, before”
Latin
Latin
ante
“before, in front of”
Latin
Latin
antiquus
“former, ancient, of old”
Old French
Old French
antique
“ancient, old”
Middle English
English
antik
“old, ancient, antique”
Modern English
English
antique
“an object from an earlier period, especially one valued for age or rarity”