A general term for the prehistoric period intermediate between the earliest period (‘Paleo-Indian’, ‘Paleo-American’, ‘American‐paleolithic’, &c.) of human presence in the Western Hemisphere, and the most recent prehistoric period (‘Woodland’, etc.). (noun)
(A member of) an archaic variety of Homo sapiens. (noun)
Of or characterized by antiquity; old-fashioned, quaint, antiquated. (adjective)
No longer in ordinary use, though still used occasionally to give a sense of antiquity. (adjective)
Examples of word archaic
The forms of thou are termed archaic by Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged: "In this dictionary, the label archaic is affixed to words and senses relatively common in earlier times but infrequently used in present-day English."
LAVANDERA: Stay-at-home mother Melissa Pierce is leading the charge to end what she calls archaic alcohol laws.
With widespread illegal gambling activity, a group of Bahamians want what they call the archaic, undemocratic gaming laws in the country to be changed to afford them the right to gamble in their own country.
He looks up to see a man in archaic clothing stumbling down a hill, clearly being chased by vague, dark figures.
Those who oppose zoning will call it archaic, divisive, and unfair.