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View synonyms for

relic

[ rel-ik ]

noun

  1. a surviving memorial of something past.
  2. an object having interest by reason of its age or its association with the past:

    a museum of historic relics.

  3. a surviving trace of something:

    a custom that is a relic of paganism.

  4. relics,
    1. remaining parts or fragments.
    2. the remains of a deceased person.
  5. something kept in remembrance; souvenir; memento.
  6. Ecclesiastical. (especially in the Roman Catholic and Greek churches) the body, a part of the body, or some personal memorial of a saint, martyr, or other sacred person, preserved as worthy of veneration.
  7. a once widespread linguistic form that survives in a limited area but is otherwise obsolete.


relic

/ ˈɛɪ /

noun

  1. something that has survived from the past, such as an object or custom
  2. something kept as a remembrance or treasured for its past associations; keepsake
  3. usually plural a remaining part or fragment
  4. RC Church Eastern Churches part of the body of a saint or something supposedly used by or associated with a saint, venerated as holy
  5. informal.
    an old or old-fashioned person or thing
  6. archaic.
    plural the remains of a dead person; corpse
  7. ecology a less common term for relict
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • i· adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of relic1

1175–1225; Middle English < Old French relique < Latin reliquiae (plural) remains (> Old English reliquias ), equivalent to reliqu ( us ) remaining + -iae plural noun suffix
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Word History and Origins

Origin of relic1

C13: from Old French relique , from Latin reliquiae remains, from relinquere to leave behind, relinquish
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The basilica also hosts what is said to be a relic of Jesus's crib and an icon of Mary, to whom Pope Francis would pray to asking for protection before a journey.

From

They hope to take the burned relic to car shows starting later this year.

From

It begs the question why would anyone, let alone a successful international entrepreneur, want to buy this faded relic?

From

Upcoming attractions that continue to emphasize virtual, digitally created worlds — especially those utilizing 3-D glasses — will start, I imagine, to feel a bit like relics after a trip to Epic Universe.

From

But they are reminders of an earlier time, when it was important to keep coins — another relic of a bygone era — in your pocket.

From

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reliantrelic area