antique (adj.)

1530s, "aged, venerable;" 1540s, "having existed in ancient times," from Middle French antique "old" (14c.), from Latin antiquus (later anticus) "ancient, former, of olden times; old, long in existence, aged; venerable; old-fashioned," from PIE *anti- "before" (from root *ant- "front, forehead," with derivatives meaning "in front of, before") + *okw- "appearance" (from PIE root *okw- "to see").

Originally pronounced in English like its doublet antic, but French pronunciation and spelling were adopted in English from c. 1700. Meaning "not modern" is from 1640s. Related: Antiqueness.

1520s, "a relic of antiquity," from antique (adj.). From 1771 as "an old and collectible thing."

"to give an antique appearance to," 1753 (implied in antiqued, in bookbinding, "finished in an antique style"), from antique (adj.). Related: Antiquing.