Word of the Day - 09/18/25
antediluvian
/,æntidɪ'luviən/(adj.): of or relating to the period before the biblical flood
Archaeologists discovered antediluvian artifacts buried deep beneath the ancient city.
(adj.): so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
His antediluvian ideas about technology surprised everyone in the modern office.
Word Origin
The word 'antediluvian' originates from Latin. It is formed from two parts: 'ante-', meaning 'before', and 'diluvium', meaning 'a flood' or 'deluge'. Therefore, 'antediluvian' literally means 'before the flood', typically referring to the biblical Great Flood.
Many English words share the 'ante-' prefix, such as 'antebellum' (before the war), 'antecedent' (that which goes before), 'antechamber' (a room before another), and 'anticipate' (to take before). The root 'diluvium' is also present in 'deluge', which means a severe flood or an overwhelming amount of something.