Antediluvian

Quick meaning: Antediluvian is an adjective meaning (by extension) Of animals and plants: long extinct; prehistoric.

Meaning

(by extension) Of animals and plants: long extinct; prehistoric.

More Meanings

1. Of a person or thing: very old; ancient.
2. Of attitudes, ideas, etc.: extremely old-fashioned, especially to a laughable extent; antiquated.
3. (biblical) A person who lived in the time prior to the great flood described in Genesis, especially one of the biblical patriarchs.
4. A very old person.
5. A person with extremely old-fashioned attitudes, ideas, etc., especially to a laughable extent; a fogey or old fogey.
6. (biblical) Belonging or pertaining to, or existing in, the time prior to the great flood described in Genesis, or (by extension) to a great or destructive flood or deluge described in other mythologies.

Example Sentences

Those ideas are antediluvian.

On the shore were the remains of an antediluvian forest with ugly black stumps showing, and further up an old stubby deserted lighthouse.

The air inside smelled antediluvian, regal somehow, with traces of pipe tobacco, tea leaves, cooking sherry, and the earthen aroma of stone architecture.

[P]erhaps ſome perſons might outlive Methuſelah; the Text intending onely the maſculine line of Seth, conduceable unto the Genealogy of our Saviour, and the antediluvian Chronology.

Word Forms

• antedeluvian
• antediluvians

Synonyms for antediluvian

Depending on context, synonyms include antediluvial, prediluvian, preflood, prehistoric, ancient, aged.

Antonyms for antediluvian

Common opposites include baby-faced, juvenile, hebetic, young, youngling, youngly.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include antiquated, old, antediluvial, archaic, antedeluvian, postdiluvial.

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