[an.cient] adj [ME ancien, fr. MF, fr. (assumed) VL anteanus, fr. L ante before--more at ante-] (14c) 1: having had an existence of many years
2: of or relating to a remote period, to a time early in history, or to those living in such a period or time; esp: of or relating to the historical period beginning with the earliest known civilizations and extending to the fall of the western Roman Empire in a.d. 476
3: having the qualities of age or long existence: a: venerable b: old-fashioned, antique syn see old -- an.cient.ness n
[2]ancient n (1502) 1: an aged living being "a penniless ~"
2: one who lived in ancient times: a pl: the civilized people of antiquity; esp: those of the classical nations b: one of the classical authors "Plutarch and other ~s"
3: an ancient coin [3]ancient n [alter. of ensign] (1554) 1 archaic: ensign, standard, flag
2. obs: the bearer of an ensign