Collins English-English Dictionary

ancient ['eɪnʃənt]

1. 1. adj dating from very long ago

   ancient ruins

2. 2. adj very old; aged

3. 3. adj of the far past, esp before the collapse of the Western Roman Empire (476 ad) - Compare medieval modern

4. 4. adj [law] having existed since before the time of legal memory

5. 5. n [often plural] a member of a civilized nation in the ancient world, esp a Greek, Roman, or Hebrew

6. 6. n [often plural] one of the classical authors of Greek or Roman antiquity

7. 7. n [archaic] an old man

8. 8. n [Etymology] C14: from Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin anteanus (unattested), from Latin ante before

ancient ['eɪnʃənt]

1. 1. n [archaic] a flag or other banner; standard

2. 2. n a standard-bearer; ensign

3. 3. n [Etymology] C16: changed from ensign through the influence of ancient¹