Skip to content

"ancient, very old" in seven languages

Meaningancient, very old

Spanish

antiguo

/anˈtigwo/

inherited

French

ancien

/ɑ̃sjɛ̃/

other source · spoken Latin *ANTEĀNUM 'from before' (ANTE)

fem.: ancienne

Before the noun it means 'former': mon ancien patron.

Italian

antico

/anˈtiko/

inherited

Portuguese

antigo

/ɐ̃ˈtʃigu/

inherited

Romanian

antic

/anˈtik/

learned

For everyday 'old' Romanian uses vechi (VETULUM).

Catalan

antic

/ənˈtik/

inherited

fem.: antiga

English

ancient

/ˈeɪnʃənt/

other source · Anglo-French auncien, from spoken Latin *ANTEĀNUS (like French ancien)

English → Italianancient, very oldanticoNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: antique, antiquity.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

ANTĪQUUM‘old, of former times’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Spanish and Italian kept ANTĪQUUS; French (and English, through it) made a new word from ANTE 'before'. French antique exists too, but means 'of classical antiquity'.

English relatives: antique, antiquity

Learn it

Practice the Describing words deckQuiz a friend on it

In a sentence

  • esVisitamos un templo antiguo.
  • frNous avons visité un temple ancien.
  • itAbbiamo visitato un tempio antico.
  • ptVisitamos um templo antigo.
  • roAm vizitat un templu antic.
  • caVam visitar un temple antic.
  • enWe visited an ancient temple.

More in Describing words

All Describing words words