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Webster 1913 Edition

Archaism

Ar′cha-ism

,
Noun.
[Gr.
ἀρχαϊσμός
, fr.
ἀρχαῖοσ
ancient, fr.
ἀρχή
beginning: cf. F.
archaïsme
. See
Arch
,
Adj.
]
1.
An ancient, antiquated, or old-fashioned, word, expression, or idiom; a word or form of speech no longer in common use.
2.
Antiquity of style or use; obsoleteness.
A select vocabulary corresponding (in point of
archaism
and remoteness from ordinary use) to our Scriptural vocabulary.
De Quincey.

Webster 1828 Edition

Archaism

'ARCHAISM

,
Noun.
[Gr. ancient, from beginning.]
An ancient or obsolete phrase or expression.

Definition 2024

archaism

archaism

English

Alternative forms

Noun

archaism ‎(plural archaisms)

  1. The adoption or imitation of archaic words or style.
  2. An archaic word, style, etc.
    • L. Douglas
      He had the fastidiousness, the preciosity, the love of archaisms, of your true decadent.

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Translations

Anagrams

Etymology

17th Century, from New Latin, from Ancient Greek ἀρχαϊσμός ‎(arkhaïsmós, “an antiquated phrase or style”), from ἀρχαίζειν ‎(arkhaízein, “to model one's style upon that of ancient writers”), from ἀρχαῖος ‎(arkhaîos, “old, ancient”), from ἀρχή ‎(arkhḗ, “beginning”), from ἄρχω ‎(árkhō, “I begin”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɑː(ɹ)keɪˌɪzəm/, /ˈɑː(ɹ)kiˌɪzəm/

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