antique

Everyday

1. (noun) An old object, usually a hundred years old or more, valued because it is old, rare or beautiful. tree →
2. (adjective) Old and valuable, like antique furniture. tree →
3. (adjective, informal) Very old-fashioned (said as a joke). tree →

In the lessons

Used in everyday life (antique shops, Grandma's antique clock) and history lessons about objects from the past. In stories, an antique often holds a secret or a memory. Phrases: antique shop, antique dealer, antique furniture, priceless antique.

Examples

• Grandma has an antique clock that ticks loudly. tree →
• We visited an antique shop full of old toys. tree →
• The antique vase was worth a lot of money. tree →
• Please do not sit on that chair; it is an antique. tree →
• Dad's phone is so old it's practically an antique! tree →
• The museum shows antique tools from farms. tree →
• She inherited antique jewellery from her great-aunt. tree →
• On her head she carried an earthen pitcher of antique shape filled with water. tree →

Note

Pronounced an-TEEK. Countable as a noun: antiques. Use "an antique". Not the same as "antic" (a silly act) or "ancient" (very very old, for things like pyramids). Old does not always mean valuable.