- (n.) Those who lived in former ages, as opposed to the moderns.
- (n.) An aged man; a patriarch. Hence: A governor; a ruler; a person of influence.
- (n.) The bearer of a flag; an ensign.
- (a.) Dignified, like an aged man; magisterial; venerable.
- (n.) One of the senior members of the Inns of Court or of Chancery.
- (a.) Former; sometime.
- (n.) A senior; an elder; a predecessor.
- (a.) Old; that has been of long duration; of long standing; of great age; as, an ancient forest; an ancient castle.
- (a.) Old; that happened or existed in former times, usually at a great distance of time; belonging to times long past; specifically applied to the times before the fall of the Roman empire; -- opposed to modern; as, ancient authors, literature, history; ancient days.
- (a.) Experienced; versed.
- (n.) An ensign or flag.
- (a.) Known for a long time or from early times; -- opposed to recent or new; as, the ancient continent.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). ancient. Retrieved September 21, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/ancient/definitions/1973668 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "ancient" http://smartdefine.org/ancient/definitions/1973668 (accessed September 21, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, ancient, Smart Define, viewed 21 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/ancient/definitions/1973668>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "ancient" 27 May 2011. Web. 21 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/ancient/definitions/1973668> |