archaism
(ˈɑːkeɪɪz(ə)m)
[ad. Gr. ἀρχα{giuml}σµός, f. ἀρχαῑ́ζ-ειν to copy the ancients in language, etc., f. ἀρχαῖος ancient: see -ism. Cf. F. archaïsme.]
1. The retention or imitation of what is old or obsolete; the employment in language, art, etc., of the characteristics of an earlier period; archaic style.
| [1612 Brinsley Pos. Parts (1669) 13 This is called Archaismus, in imitation of the ancient kind of speaking.] 1643 Slatyer Psalms A v, Very neare it [the authorized version] saving where by the archaisme..occasioned to recede. 1783 Lemon Eng. Etym. (Jod.) Archaism, a fondness for antient customs, antiquated phrases, obsolete words, etc. 1839 Hallam Hist. Lit. III. iii. vii. §33 A slight tinge of archaism was thought by Bacon and Raleigh congenial to an elevated style. |
2. An archaic word or expression. Also, an archaic feature in script.
| a 1748 Watts (J.), I shall never use archaisms, as Milton. a 1804 Boucher Gloss. Introd. 20/1 Erciscere..used once by Cicero, but..avowedly as an archaism. 1864 Pusey Daniel 310 The Pentateuch has marks of greater antiquity, having archaisms which the book of Joshua has not. 1954 N. Denholm-Young Handwr. Engl. & Wales 42 A sufficient number of archaisms survived into the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries... The most obvious of such features are (i) the retention of majuscule R. 1960 N. R. Ker Eng. MSS. Cent. after Norman Conquest 22 He might have some difficulty in interpreting two archaisms of the script, the special ra and rt ligatures. |