archaism

noun

Definition of archaismnext
as in throwback

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of archaism That phrase, which may strike some young American ears as an archaism if not an oxymoron, is worth unpacking, and Amis provides readers with a pocket account of the historical preconditions of his extravagant fame. — A.o. Scott, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2018 For the Latin American left, that vision has congealed into archaism. — The Economist, 12 Oct. 2017 But the main challenge for any translator is to remain true to Virgil without wrenching him into archaism or stiffness. — Willard Spiegelman, WSJ, 22 Sep. 2017 Full of archaisms, the language has a neo-Nabokovian extravagance, occasionally overindulgent. — Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archaism
  1. throwback
  2. anachronism
  3. antiquity
  4. ancientness
Noun
  • The Atlanta Falcons posted a profile pic featuring their throwback logo.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The 47-year-old actress shared a series of vacation throwbacks on Instagram, including photos from a recent trip to Hawaii for a friend's wedding.
    — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of throwback
Noun
  • Beyond the emotional acuity, much of the film’s ambitious methods can feel like an anachronism in 2026.
    — Bridget Arsenault, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Dreaming is every bit the delicious anachronism of its predecessors.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of anachronism
Noun
  • In antiquity, Rome’s aqueducts and China’s canals and flood-control works were the pipelines of centuries of hegemony.
    — NIALL FERGUSON, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Kennedy Center has long been home to hundreds of unique works of art and antiquities, including sculptures and tapestries, donated or loaned by individual benefactors and other countries, CNN notes.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of antiquity
Noun
  • Since war broke out in late February, the show in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia province, had grown increasingly popular, as interest surges among Chinese people in a nearby nation and culture that rivals their own in its depth and ancientness.
    — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
Definition of ancientness

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archaism
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Cite this Entry

“Archaism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archaism. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on archaism

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about archaism

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