antique
UK[ænˈtiːk]US[ænˈtiːk]
adj
belonging to the distant past, especially from ancient times
adj
old and often valuable
n
an object such as a piece of furniture or jewelry that is old and often valuable
Etymology
the word 'antique' entered english in the early 16th century from the french adjective 'antique', meaning 'ancient'. the french term derived directly from latin 'antiquus' (also spelled 'anticus'), meaning 'former, ancient, olden'. this latin word is built on the preposition 'ante', meaning 'before'. the semantic journey is straightforward: from the core idea of 'coming before' in time, to 'ancient', and finally to its modern specialized sense denoting old objects of value and aesthetic interest. the spelling and meaning were reinforced during the renaissance, a period that revived interest in classical antiquity.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword from french. it cannot be meaningfully segmented into productive morphemes in modern english spelling.
Examples
the museum has a superb collection of antique pottery.
she inherited an antique diamond ring from her grandmother.
the shop specializes in restoring antique furniture.