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Definition of antique in English:

antique

Pronunciation /anˈtēk/ /ænˈtik/

See synonyms for antique

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noun

A collectible object such as a piece of furniture or work of art that has a high value because of its considerable age.
‘Pauline loves collecting antiques’
- ‘an antique dealer’
- ‘A wide selection of quality antiques and collectables for sale.’
- ‘His hobbies include collecting antiques, hats and matches, opera, golf and of course, his horses.’
- ‘It's huge, vast, echoing, filled with pieces of Bali, antiques, art pieces, a huge chair collection.’
- ‘For example, consider the dark corner of an antiques store where stacks of pictures gather dust.’
- ‘There are gilt-framed paintings, oriental antiques, a sofa in trademark red with cream piping.’
- ‘The home was well maintained and was furnished with many antiques and wall hangings from around the world.’
- ‘With something to suit everybody from furniture, antiques, plants, tools and other gifts, a visit is a must.’
- ‘According to Delaney, the pieces are antiques of the future as the furniture is recognised for its high design.’
- ‘The Summer Fair is the largest fully vetted fine art and antiques fair in the UK, comprising over 330 dealers.’
- ‘Sixty or so art and antiques dealers will occupy the ground floor, some twenty jewellers the lower level.’
- ‘The Treasury offers antiques, collectibles and a small inventory of contemporary items.’
- ‘The show turns people's antiques and collectables into cash at a house sale and then auction.’
- ‘He was interested in shooting, car restoration, collecting antiques, and assorted entrepreneurial schemes.’
- ‘Carefully-chosen classic antiques and quality paintings should yield solid returns over time.’
- ‘In the 18th century the indicator was called a bottle ticket; today collectors of wine antiques call it a wine label.’
- ‘He also had a collection of Pennsylvania mining antiques and framed mining certificates.’
- ‘Around this time, he met an antiques dealer named Lucille Teasel.’
- ‘Some people invest in antiques, art, property, wine or other assets.’
- ‘My parents' love for antiques and fine art was made evident in every corner of the house.’
- ‘The antiques dealer found the letters in a box of books and miscellaneous items, which was to be thrown out.’
collector's item, period piece, museum piece, antiquity, object of virtu
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adjective

1(of a collectible object) having a high value because of considerable age.
‘an antique clock’
- ‘Get your antique treasures valued as part of Hextable Heritage Centre's annual heritage day.’
- ‘Very old pieces with their original finish should usually not be repainted or refinished as you may remove the indications of their authenticity and antique value.’
- ‘Her technique has a photographic quality that mimics antique silver gelatin prints.’
- ‘Maybe all that early web-site material will have historic and antique value.’
- ‘There is something beautifully reassuring about the presence of an antique grandfather clock in a home; it makes a statement about permanence and comfort that's hard to beat.’
- ‘I used to stomp out of my room in protest in the evenings after he placed an antique clock from Turkey outside my room.’
- ‘In fact Proust's life is as delicate, and as easily thrown out of balance as an antique clock.’
- ‘What I like is the collection of antique clocks on display in the inner part of the ground floor.’
- ‘In the corner of his elegant, third-floor City of London sanctum, just behind his antique desk, there is a grandfather clock marking time.’
- ‘A Georgian silver cutlery set, an antique carriage clock, a pendulum clock, rings, a pocket watch, cash and a purse were among items taken.’
- ‘Intruders used a fireside peat basket to carry antique silverware, porcelain and clocks to a waiting van.’
- ‘Police found the antique gun in a grandfather clock at Holy Rood vicarage in Swinton.’
- ‘As he sat on the edge of the large double bed that Emma had slept on last night and looked through an obviously antique jewellery box he found himself suddenly fascinated by the value of the items it held.’
- ‘A wide range of distinctive antique items - from jewellery, porcelain and paintings to clocks and a selection of furniture - will be on sale.’
- ‘But the fact that the building is fully furnished with some of Scotland's finest antique pieces adds to the value which the Executive should have to pay.’
- ‘The table used for massage brought from Kerala has antique as well as medicinal value since they were made of trees with medicinal value.’
- ‘Officers found an antique, double-barrelled Derringer hidden in a walnut grandfather clock in his bedroom.’
- ‘But their happy day turned to misery when they got home at 11.15 pm to find more than 30 items of jewellery, including antique pearls and brooches, taken.’
- ‘In the most hurtful insult, the antique bureau bought by his late wife was taken, along with the personal letters it contained, and his daughter's wedding dress and presents were snatched, too.’
- ‘At various points in my life I have amassed and then jettisoned quantities of antique egg beaters, old buttons and - here's the embarrassing one - pictures of unicorns.’
1. 1.1(of a method of finishing a wooden surface) intended to resemble the appearance of antique furniture.
  ‘bookshelves with an antique finish’
  ‘The distinctive finish on these mouldings is hand applied to create an antique appearance.’
  ‘All elements are placed on antique looking furniture, teapoys, plant stands and traditional Irani chairs.’
  ‘The crevices of the bead or charm are darkened to give it an antique appearance.’
  ‘Its embossed finish combined with its rough edges recreate an antique appearance.’
  ‘In addition to the rich antique finish, these gorgeous sinks are now available in the subtle shine of Brushed Nickel too.’
  ‘Walk into a furniture or cabinet store and the trend toward using stains and finishes to create an antique look becomes abundantly clear.’
  ‘The oak is hand stained with red, yellow, blue and green and then given an antique finish.’
  ‘Most of the rings in this book are pictured with an antique finish.’
  ‘This beautiful antique finish table lamp would enhance any style decor.’
  ‘We are now offering our antique reproduction furniture from Indonesia in either a red mahogany or a brown antique finish’
  old, antiquarian, collectable
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2Belonging to ancient times.
‘statues of antique gods’
- ‘Upon them sat antique pots holding ancient plants nobly maintaining their vainglory and smugness as they grew greedily towards the late summer sunshine.’
- ‘During these centuries scores of collectors who saw themselves as connoisseurs of ancient civilizations brought antique marbles to England.’
- ‘He prized antique and ancient things and artifacts.’
- ‘So he bought me an antique ancient Tibetan hatchet which was said to be used to fight evil spirits.’
- ‘You can picture the rugged terrain of rocky beaches and stony slopes with ancient smouldering volcanoes standing guard over antique vines.’
- ‘But linear perspective itself is probably a renaissance not an antique invention, and Durer's approach to ancient architecture is remarkably free and unlearned.’
- ‘The potée then was a sort of antique potage, of varying ingredients, belonging to the bourgeoisie rather than the peasants, and without any special regional connotation.’
- ‘But then I do not expect poetry to be accurate and never really believed the ancient mariner or the traveler from the antique land either.’
- ‘Yet, it may be significant that it's a pitcher who holds a couple of batting records for antique players that should by all rights belong to a batter.’
- ‘Armor reflected the Renaissance idealization of the antique, with decorative motifs taken from classical mythology and ancient history.’
ancient, of long ago
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1. 2.1Old-fashioned or outdated.
  ‘trade unions defending antique work practices’
  ‘It's very pretty… looks somewhat antique and old-fashioned.’
  ‘Unimpeded by antique censorship codes or outdated moral guidelines, they lent a painful emotional truth and sometimes savage sexual energy to characters who lived on the edge.’
  ‘The Post Office Room features a collection of antique telephones including old-fashioned manual exchanges.’
  ‘Medieval Turnovo's antique houses and narrow cobbled streets are perched on a large rockface that places it among one of the most beautiful cities not only in the Balkans but in all of Europe.’
  ‘Already that observation is antique; it has been outdated by Napster and iPod, TiVo and digital TV.’
  ‘Maybe the inhabitants can't see it, but there is a freshness and antique aura of the quaint little shops and farms that is breathtaking and endearing.’
  ‘The Sonoma Hotel is very quaint with its antique furnishings and cozy atmosphere.’
  ‘It was something so old fashioned as to be almost antique.’
  ‘History runs a perpetual sprint in New York; 6 months' passage makes the most vivid episodes seem quaint and antique.’
  ‘He talks of my ‘monomaniac fancy that there is nothing quaint or antique in Homer.’’
  out of date, outdated, outmoded, old-fashioned, archaic, antiquated, anachronistic, ancient, antediluvian, superannuated, outworn, behind the times, primitive, medieval, quaint, old-fangled, obsolescent, obsolete, prehistoric
  View synonyms
2. 2.2humorous Showing signs of great age or wear.
  ‘an antique divorcee in reduced circumstances’
  ‘Even though his vision could have easily been corrected he preferred to wear an antique pair of glasses.’
  ‘Musetta, looking like an overdressed silent-movie vamp, drives up with her ancient admirer in a sputtering antique automobile.’
  ‘Pinakos teeth were gritted, biting her pipe, and her frown was making even more wrinkles appear on her antique face.’
  ‘Normally, Katulo was in the midst of any celebration pushing his antique body to the limit by asking pretty young girls to dance.’
  ‘Thirty is still young, however antique it may look to 17.’

verbantiques, antiquing, antiqued

1with object Make (something) resemble an antique by artificial means.
‘sanding will change the luster of the sanded spot, especially if the finish has been antiqued’
- ‘an antiqued door’
2usually go antiquingNorth American no object Search or shop for antiques.
‘they went antiquing almost every weekend’
- ‘I antiqued all day with my mother’
- ‘She gave me her sister's phone number but they were going antiquing, and you know Evangeline and antiques.’
- ‘Little things about him make me feel all warm and fuzzy: one day we went antiquing, and he was in one place in the shop while I was looking at vintage clothes in another.’
- ‘After checking out of our room we decided to go antiquing, boarding the number 14 bus on Kapahulu for the 10-minute ride north.’
- ‘But it harbours a terrible secret: up in the airy valley, down in the rushy glen, one daren't go antiquing for fear of inbred mountain-men.’
- ‘You don't have to be a history buff to avail of a visit to one of their quaint towns, eat good wholesome American food at a very moderate price at a local restaurant, or maybe go antiquing.’
- ‘I'd rather go antiquing, take a yoga class, get a massage or read another travel book in my personal search for the ultimate baguette.’
- ‘Tim was boring, he had no sense of adventure, and he thought it was fun to go antiquing, he didn't even like football.’
- ‘A popular New England escape, ‘this island spells relaxation for those who enjoy strolling along historic harbors, collecting seashells, antiquing, biking and boating.’’
- ‘Not to worry if you want something to do though, the downtown Blue Ridge area has many specialty shops, some of the best antiquing in all of Georgia as I mentioned earlier, a theater, art galleries, many tasty restaurants and much more.’
- ‘Other activities include hiking, antiquing, exploring nearby ghost towns and hosted shooting clinics at their range.’
- ‘When small towns and backroads are bathed in golden leaves, I'm in the mood for antiquing, hiking, and wine tasting.’
- ‘For now, they enjoy antiquing and exploring North Carolina and the southern part of the country.’
- ‘A midlife career change synthesized Julie's two passions: travel and antiquing.’
- ‘In Lake Placid, summer pastimes include antiquing, visits to the Winter Olympic Museum, historic sites, and scenic boat tours of the lake.’