ancient history: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal (literal), Informal (figurative)
Quick answer
What does “ancient history” mean?
The period of recorded human history from the earliest civilizations (e.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The period of recorded human history from the earliest civilizations (e.g., Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome) up to approximately the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD.
Something (e.g., an event, a relationship, an argument) that happened so long ago it is considered irrelevant to the present situation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in literal meaning. The figurative use is slightly more common in AmE casual speech.
Connotations
Figurative use in both varieties implies the subject is no longer important or emotionally charged.
Frequency
High frequency in academic/historical contexts. Moderate frequency in informal speech for the figurative sense.
Grammar
How to Use “ancient history” in a Sentence
be ancient historyconsider something ancient historyrelegate to ancient historyVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “ancient history” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- That row has been well and truly ancient-historied.
American English
- I ancient-history'd that feud; we're cool now.
adjective
British English
- He gave an ancient-history perspective on the myth.
American English
- She has an ancient-history textbook from her undergrad years.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"Our failed product launch from 2010 is ancient history; let's focus on the new quarter."
Academic
"Her doctoral thesis focuses on trade routes in ancient history."
Everyday
"Our argument last week? Don't worry about it, it's ancient history."
Technical
"The stratigraphic layer corresponds to the late Bronze Age in ancient history."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “ancient history”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “ancient history”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “ancient history”
- Using 'ancient history' to refer to simply 'old news' from last year (hyperbolic but acceptable) vs. using it for medieval events (incorrect for the literal academic sense).
- Capitalisation error: It is not capitalised unless part of a proper title (e.g., 'Professor of Ancient History').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, in standard academic periodisation, 'ancient history' typically ends with the fall of the Western Roman Empire (5th century AD). The Middle Ages follow.
Yes, but only in an informal, hyperbolic, and dismissive way to imply it feels irrelevant now (e.g., 'Last year's fashion? That's ancient history!').
No. Capitalise only when it's part of an official course or department name (e.g., 'I study Ancient History' as a degree title vs. 'I'm interested in ancient history').
Ancient history is the study of the past using written records and other sources. Archaeology is the study of human history through excavation and analysis of material remains. They often overlap.
The period of recorded human history from the earliest civilizations (e.
Ancient history is usually formal (literal), informal (figurative) in register.
Ancient history: in British English it is pronounced /ˌeɪnʃənt ˈhɪst(ə)ri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌeɪn(t)ʃənt ˈhɪst(ə)ri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(to be) ancient history”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
ANCIENT HISTORY = ANCIENT (very old) + HISTORY (past events). Think: 'An ancient scroll recording history.'
Conceptual Metaphor
THE PAST IS A DISTANT LAND / IRRELEVANT EVENTS ARE OLD ARTEFACTS
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'ancient history' used figuratively?