English word ancient comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti (Before. In front. Near. Opposite.), Proto-Italic *anti, Latin -anus
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *h₂énti | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | Before. In front. Near. Opposite. |
| *anti | Proto-Italic (itc-pro) | |
| -anus | Latin (lat) | Of or pertaining to; -ian; usually indicates a relationship of position, possession, or origin. |
| antea | Latin (lat) | Before, formerly, previously. |
| *anteanus | Latin (lat) | (Vulgar Latin) old, ancient. |
| ancien | Old French (842-ca. 1400) (fro) | Old; ancient. |
| auncyen | Middle English (1100-1500) (enm) | |
| ancient | English (eng) | (UK, legal) One of the senior members of the Inns of Court or of Chancery.. (heraldry, archaic) A flag, banner, standard or ensign.. (obsolete) A senior; an elder; a predecessor.. A person who is very old.. A person who lived in ancient times. (history) Relating to antiquity as a primarily European historical period; the time before the Middle Ages.. (obsolete) Experienced; versed.. [...] |