ancien
French
Etymology
From Middle French ancien, from Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin *anteānus (“that which came before”), a compound of ante (“before”) + -ānus (adjective-forming suffix). Related to the Old and Middle French ains.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɑ̃.sjɛ̃/, (in liaison) /ɑ̃.sjɛ.n‿/
Audio (France, Paris) (file) - Rhymes: -ɛ̃
- Homophone: anciens
Adjective
ancien (feminine ancienne, masculine plural anciens, feminine plural anciennes)
- (always placed before the noun) old, former, ex- (no longer current)
- Mon ancien petit ami m'a plaquée.
- My ex-boyfriend ditched me.
- (usually placed after the noun) ancient (very old)
- Elle a acheté une maison ancienne.
- She has bought an ancient house.
- le grec ancien (rarer also l’ancien grec) ― the Ancient Greek language
- l’ancien français ― the Old French language
Derived terms
- à l'ancienne
- ancien français
- ancienne école
- anciennement
- ancienneté
- ancien occitan
- ancien régime
- Ancien Régime
- Ancien Testament
- arménien ancien
- grec ancien
See also
- vieux
Noun
ancien m (plural anciens, feminine ancienne)
- an old person
Derived terms
- Ancien des jours
Descendants
- → Ido: anciena
Further reading
- “ancien”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams
- canine
Middle French
Etymology
From Old French ancien.
Adjective
ancien m (feminine singular ancienne, masculine plural anciens, feminine plural anciennes)
- old
- previous; former
Descendants
- French: ancien
Norman
Etymology
From Old French ancien, from Vulgar Latin *anteanus, from Latin ante.
Adjective
ancien m
- (Jersey) ancient
Derived terms
- anciennement
- ancienneté (“ancient times”)
Old French
Alternative forms
- anciien, ancïen (diaereses not universally used by scholars of Old French)
Etymology
From Vulgar Latin *anteānus; see there for further etymology. See also the related ains, ainz.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): (early) /anˈt͡sjɛn/
- IPA(key): (late) /ãnˈsjɛ̃n/
Adjective
ancien m (oblique and nominative feminine singular anciene)
- old, ancient
Antonyms
- juene
Descendants
- Middle French: ancien
- French: ancien
- Norman: ancien
- → Galician: ancián, anciao
- → Italian: anziano
- → Medieval Latin: antiānus
- → Middle English: auncyen
- English: ancient
- → Sicilian: anzianu
- → Maltese: anzjan
- → Spanish: anciano
See also
- viel