ancient

adj. 古代的；古老的，过时的；年老的

n. 古代人；老人

中文词源

ancient 古代的

来自词根ante, 在前面的，古老的。

ancient: ancient: [14] Like antique, ancient was originally, in Latin, an adjectivized version of the adverb and preposition ‘before’: to ante ‘before’ was added the adjective suffix -ānus, to produce the adjective *anteānus ‘going before’. In Old French this became ancien, and it passed into English via Anglo-Norman auncien. The final -t began to appear in the 15th century, by the same phonetic process as produced it in pageant and tyrant. The now archaic use of ancient as ‘standard, flag’ and as ‘standard-bearer’ (as most famously in Shakespeare’s ‘ancient Pistol’) arose from an alteration of ensign.
=> antique
ancient (adj.): mid-14c., auncyen, from Old French ancien "old, long-standing, ancient," from Vulgar Latin *anteanus, literally "from before," adjectivization of Latin ante "before, in front of, against" (from PIE *anti "against," locative singular of *ant- "front, forehead;" see ante). The parasitic -t dates from 15c. by influence of words in -ent.

Specifically, in history, "belonging to the period before the fall of the Western Roman Empire" (and contrasted with medieval and modern). In English law, "from before the Norman Conquest." Ancient of Days is from Dan. vii:9. Related: Anciently.
ancient (n.): "standard-bearer," 1550s, a corruption of ensign. Archaic, but preserved in Shakespeare's character Aunchient Pistoll in "Henry V."

谐音“矮身的”→古代的（ancient）人身材都相当矮

2. They held his fate in the palms of their ancient hands.: 他们这些老人将他的命运掌握在手心里。

3. Ancient civilizations believed in the curative powers of fresh air and sunlight.: 远古文明相信新鲜的空气和阳光有治病的功效。

4. Each one of these ancient towns is hauntingly beautiful.: 这些古镇个个都美得令人难以忘怀。

5. Dogs were also associated with healing in the ancient world.: 在古代，狗也与治病有关。