4 December 2014

antiquity

[an-tik-wi-tee]

noun, plural antiquities.
1. the quality of being ancient; ancientness:
a bowl of great antiquity.
2. ancient times; former ages:
the splendor of antiquity.
3. the period of history before the Middle Ages.
4. the peoples, nations, tribes, or cultures of ancient times.
5. Usually, antiquities. something belonging to or remaining from ancient times, as monuments, relics, or customs.

Origin
Middle English, Anglo-FrenchLatin
1350-1400; Middle English antiquite < Anglo-French < Latin antīquitās, equivalent to antīqu (us) old (see antique ) + -itās -ity

Related forms
preantiquity, noun, plural preantiquities.
subantiquity, noun, plural subantiquities.
Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for antiquity
– Searching for or removal of any object of antiquity including arrowheads, pottery or other artifacts is prohibited.
– The techniques used in handcrafting silver have changed little since antiquity.
– No other hominin of such antiquity –including Lucy–is as complete as this one.

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Today’s aphorism

It has been my observation that parents kill more dreams than anybody.

– Spike Lee

On this day

4 December 1952 – A deadly smog in London caused by soot and sulphur dioxide from factories, cars and home coal-fires. It continues for four days and kills at least 4,000 people.

4 December 1954 – the first Burger King is opened in Miami, Florida by James McLamore and David Edgerton.

4 December 1961 – the birth control contraceptive pill (‘the pill’) available publicly through the National Health Service.

4 December 1969 – 14 police shoot dead two members of the Black Panther Party, Fred Hampton and Mary Clark, who were asleep in their apartment. The Black Panther Party was committed to racial equality and rights for African Americans.