Antiquates

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To judge an item or concept as no longer applicable or useful in the present context To categorize something as belonging to an earlier period that lacks contemporary significance To render an idea or object obsolete by recognizing its antiquated nature
2. To cause something to become outdated or no longer relevant through the passage of time or change in circumstances
3. To regard or treat an object or concept as old-fashioned or no longer suitable for current use

Etymology: "Antiquates" is the third-person singular form of "antiquate," a verb meaning to treat something as old-fashioned or no longer relevant. The verb comes from Latin "antiquatus," the past participle of "antiquare," which meant "to make old" or, more strikingly, "to restore to a pristine state." That second sense is the surprise: the Latin root "antiquus" meant "ancient" or "former," so the verb originally involved bringing something back toward its earlier, original condition rather than consigning it to the past. The English verb took on its present sense through the Latin participle, with the suffix "-ate" added to form a verb. The modern meaning, to declare something obsolete, reverses the Latin idea: where "antiquare" once could mean making something old enough to be restored, "antiquate" now means marking something as already old and passed over.

Synonyms: outdates, deprecates