Antediluvian - what does that mean? Origin and meaning of the word

We all use the word "antediluvian" from time to time, sometimes even without thinking about where it came from. Virtually everyone knows what it means and in what cases it is used. However, not everyone understands the history of its origin. "Antediluvian" is a word that arose not just from a random set of letters. What does it mean and when did it appear?

"Antediluvian". What does the word mean?

Surely everyone knows the biblical story about the World Flood. This is the great flood that God sent to people as punishment for their iniquities and moral fall. As a result, he died all life on Earth, except pious Noah, his family and "every creature in pairs." They were saved from flooding on the huge ship built by Noah - the ark.

The word "antediluvian" in Russian appeared in the eighteenth century. It was formed from the noun "Flood", and the prefix denoted that the events occurred before the great flood. The time in which the Flood occurred was taken as a starting point. The Flood itself happened a very long time, and what was before it - and is very ancient.

What does the word "antediluvian" mean? According to the explanatory dictionary, "antediluvian" is an obsolete, old-fashioned, extinct, backward. Until the 30's and 40's. Nineteenth century, the word was used in a more literal sense, that is, it characterized events that occurred before the Flood. Later, it acquired an ironic tinge and was used in a jocular tone, denoting something very ancient and backward.

Examples of the use of the word "antediluvian"

Consider examples of the use in the literature of the term "antediluvian". What does the word mean in literary works? The expression "antediluvian" was used in the works of many writers and poets. For example, Lermontov in his Valerik uses this word, characterizing forests, over which flashed lighthouses. I.S. Turgenev mentions him in "Literary and everyday memoirs", describing the times in which the conversation between Pletnev and Koltsov took place. V.S. Kurochkin calls the "antediluvian" pun in his poem called "A common acquaintance."

The most abrupt turn in the portable use of the word "antediluvian" in the expressive presentation is associated with the name of An. Grigoriev. A. Galakhov in 1877 noted a peculiar style of the author, who, in addition to other new terms he uses, uses the word "antediluvian" in relation to Polezhaev, Lazhechnikov and Marlinsky. Galakhov notes that using the word "antediluvian" in relation to them is not entirely correct, since it turns out that they existed before the Flood. In his opinion, this pun could give rise to a magazine mockery of them.

Synonyms and word antonyms

The concept of "antediluvian" meaning of the word has already been clarified. Like almost any word in Russian, this term also has synonyms and antonyms. What are the synonyms for the word "antediluvian"? These are: Old Testament, obsolete, old-fashioned, backward, fossil, archaic and others. The word "pre-war" is often used. It has a similar principle of education, but the point of reference is not the Flood, but the Great Patriotic War. It is clear that this term is more modern, since the World Flood occurred much earlier than military operations. However, the meaning of these two words is very similar.

Anthony of the word "antediluvian", which means ancient, respectively, are the following words: modern, current.

Conclusion

The sphere of the use of the word "antediluvian" is very interestingly distributed. The meaning of the word, as already noted above, is used most jokingly. It is quite common in general vocabulary. Not so often it is mentioned in history, as well as in conversational and figurative expressions.

This adjective can be used with so many words. They can characterize old appliances, outdated equipment, old-fashioned views on things, etc. This term can be called everything that was created a long time ago or out of fashion. It is only necessary to take into account the fact that in the modern world this adjective has an ironic tinge, and by naming someone or something "antediluvian" you can offend someone's feelings. Therefore, use it cautiously, having understood the history of its occurrence and use, so that you do not offend anyone and cause negative emotions in your address.