antediluvial
|an-te-di-lu-vi-al|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.tə.dɪˈluː.vi.əl/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.tɪdɪˈluːvɪəl/
before the flood; very old/ancient
Etymology
'antediluvial' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'antediluvialis', where 'ante' meant 'before' and 'diluvium' meant 'flood'.
'antediluvial' changed from the Latin word 'antediluvialis' (used in Late/Medieval Latin) and eventually entered English as 'antediluvial' with the same basic form.
Initially, it meant 'before the flood' (literally relating to the Biblical flood), but over time it evolved into its current extended sense of 'extremely old or outmoded'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to the period before the Biblical Flood (pre‑diluvian).
Scholars discussed antediluvial traditions found in the ancient texts.
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Adjective 2
extremely old-fashioned or outdated; belonging to a much earlier period.
His views on gender roles were antediluvial and out of step with contemporary thought.
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Last updated: 2025/08/21 17:37