Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Relic
Rel′ic
(r?l′?k)
, Noun.
[Formerly written also
relique
.] 1.
That which remains; that which is left after loss or decay; a remaining portion; a remnant.
Chaucer. Wyclif.
The
relics
of lost innocence. Kebe.
The fragments, scraps, the bits and greasy
relics
. Shakespeare
2.
The body from which the soul has departed; a corpse; especially, the body, or some part of the body, of a deceased saint or martyr; – usually in the plural when referring to the whole body.
There are very few treasuries of
relics
in Italy that have not a tooth or a bone of this saint. Addison.
Thy
And sacred place by Dryden’s awful dust.
relics
, Rowe, to this fair urn we trust,And sacred place by Dryden’s awful dust.
Pope.
3.
Hence, a memorial; anything preserved in remembrance;
as,
. relics
of youthful days or friendshipsThe pearls were spilt;
Some lost, some stolen, some as
Some lost, some stolen, some as
relics
kept. Tennyson.
Webster 1828 Edition
Relic
REL'IC
,Noun.
1.
That which remains; that which is left after the loss or decay of the rest; as the relics of a town; the relics of magnificence; the relics of antiquity. The relics of saints, real or pretended, are held in great veneration by the catholics.2.
The body of a deceased person; a corpse. [Usually in the plural.]Definition 2024
relic
relic
English
A Christian relic (a bone of a saint)
Alternative forms
Noun
relic (plural relics)
- That which remains; that which is left after loss or decay; a remaining portion.
- Something old and outdated, possibly kept for sentimental reasons.
- 1991, U.S. News & World Report (volume 116, issues 9-16, page 72)
- Published in 1982, the now out-of-print computer guide is a real relic, full of dozens of black-and-white pictures of large, bulky computers that you would sooner find in the Smithsonian than on anybody's desk today.
- 1991, U.S. News & World Report (volume 116, issues 9-16, page 72)
- (religion) A part of the body of a saint, or an ancient religious object, kept for veneration.
Usage notes
By comparison with synonyms, relic emphasizes age, and to some degree value – a “relic of a lost civilization”.
Synonyms
- (that which remains): remnant, remainder, residue, lave
- (that which is regarded as ancient, rare, or sacred): halidom
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
that which remains
old thing, possibly kept for sentimental reasons
part of a body or an object of religious significance
|
Old Irish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈr͈ʲelʲiɡʲ/
Verb
·relic
- third-person singular perfect prototonic of léicid
Mutation
| Old Irish mutation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Radical | Lenition | Nasalization |
| ·relic also ·rrelic |
·relic pronounced with /-r(ʲ)-/ |
·relic also ·rrelic |
| Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. | ||