'ancientness' originates from English, formed by adding the suffix '-ness' to the adjective 'ancient', where 'ancient' comes from Old French 'ancien', meaning 'old' or 'former'.

'ancient' changed from the Old French word 'ancien' (from Latin 'anteanus'), and the noun form 'ancientness' was created in English by adding '-ness'.

Initially, it meant 'the state of being ancient or old', and this meaning has remained consistent in modern usage.