How to Pronounce Ancient

To pronounce "ancient", say ANC-ient — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈeɪnʃənt/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

ancient

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Accent

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Speed

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2

Syllables

7

Letters

/ˈeɪnʃənt/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “ancient”

Break "ancient" into 2 beats and lean on "ANC" — that's the stressed one.

What does ancient mean?

noun

  1. A person who is very old.
  2. A person who lived in ancient times.

adjective

  1. Having lasted from a remote period; having been of long duration; of great age, very old.

    “an ancient city  an ancient forest”

  2. Existent or occurring in time long past, usually in remote ages; belonging to or associated with antiquity; old, as opposed to modern.

    “an ancient author  an ancient empire”

Synonyms

geriatricoldstersenior citizenantiqueantecessorforerunneragedeldern

Hear “ancient” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Related words

age-oldantiqueoldpastantiquitytime-honoredoldenold-fashioned

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "ancient"?▾

"Ancient" has 2 syllables: anc · ient.

What is the IPA transcription of "ancient"?▾

The IPA transcription of "ancient" is /ˈeɪnʃənt/.

What does "ancient" mean?▾

Ancient: A person who is very old.

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