anachronism

IPA/əˈnækrənɪzəm/
KK[ənˈækrənˌɪzəm]IPA/əˈnækrənɪzəm/

anachronism — noun

  • anachronismsingular
  • anachronismsplural

1. a person, object, custom, or belief that looks misplaced in time, either because

1.nounC1
Definition

a person, object, custom, or belief that looks misplaced in time, either because it turns up in the wrong historical setting or because it feels outdated in the present

Example

The wristwatch in Esteban's film about ancient Rome was an obvious anachronism.

obvious anachronism in a historical film

Noa joked that the fax machine looked like an anachronism in the new office.

looked like an anachronism

Common collocations
  • an obvious anachronism
  • a historical anachronism
  • seem like an anachronism
  • become an anachronism
  • feel like an anachronism
Synonyms
  • throwback

    more informal and often warmer, for a style or habit that reminds people of an earlier time

  • relic

    usually a real surviving object from the past, not a mistake inside a historical scene

  • museum piece

    informal and critical, for something so outdated that it seems fit only for display

Grammar Patterns

an anachronism in + book / film / scene

seem like an anachronism

become an anachronism

Usage Note

Often used either for a mistake in a historical book, film, or display, or for a custom or object that now feels badly out of date.

Common Mistakes

The vase was an anachronism because it was very old.
The smartphone in the Victorian scene was an anachronism.
anachronism is not simply any old object; it is something shown in the wrong time or something that feels misplaced today.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Anachronism is used when something seems to belong to the wrong time. Throwback is more informal and can even sound affectionate, especially for clothes, music, or habits that remind people of an earlier period. Relic usually means a real surviving object from the past, not a time mistake inside a book or film. Museum piece is informal and often critical, suggesting something is so outdated that it belongs on display instead of in daily use. Oddity only means something strange and does not include the idea of time. A knight using a mobile phone in a film is an anachronism; an old radio on a shelf may be a relic.

throwback ↗relic ↗museum pieceoddity ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • an obvious anachronism
  • seem like an anachronism
  • be an anachronism in a scene
  • feel like an anachronism today

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Anachronism comes from Greek parts meaning 'against' and 'time.' It passed through Latin and French before entering English. From the beginning, it has referred to putting a person, object, event, or idea into a time period where it does not belong.

First known use

1617

1617, in the meaning defined at sense 1