antiquarian

1 of 2

noun

an·​ti·​quar·​i·​an ˌan-tə-ˈkwer-ē-ən How to pronounce antiquarian (audio)
Synonyms of antiquariannext
: one who collects or studies antiquities

antiquarian

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of or relating to antiquarians or antiquities
2
: dealing in old or rare books
an antiquarian bookstore
antiquarianism
ˌan-tə-ˈkwer-ē-ə-ˌni-zəm How to pronounce antiquarian (audio)
noun

Examples of antiquarian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Interest in the ancient druids emerged in the 16th and 17th centuries among European antiquarians—early modern scholars and collectors who studied ancient remains, manuscripts, and monuments. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026 According to Consorte, the Vatican letter also backs the theory that the statue was made by an antiquarian from Naples, working with the same farmer who claimed to have found it. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 21 July 2026
Adjective
For example, antiquarian scholars introduced the erroneous notion that druids built stone circles—most notably Stonehenge—for their ceremonies, an idea that became embedded in the popular imagination during the 18th century. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026 Anthropic purchases books through regular commercial markets, and none of its data acquisition programs acquire or destroy rare or antiquarian books. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for antiquarian

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1595, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of antiquarian was in 1595

Rhymes for antiquarian

See All Rhymes for antiquarian

Browse Nearby Words

antiq
antiquarian
antiquarianism
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Cite this Entry

“Antiquarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antiquarian. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

antiquarian

1 of 2 noun
an·​ti·​quar·​i·​an ˌant-ə-ˈkwer-ē-ən How to pronounce antiquarian (audio)
: antiquary

antiquarian

2 of 2 adjective
: of or relating to antiquaries or antiquities

More from Merriam-Webster on antiquarian

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for antiquarian

Nglish: Translation of antiquarian for Spanish Speakers

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