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ancient history

the study or a course of study of history before the end of the Western Roman Empire a.d. 476.
information or an event of the recent past that is common knowledge or is no longer pertinent:
Last week's news is ancient history.
an event, as in a person's life, that occurred in the remote past and has no practical relationship with the present:
She was my best friend in high school, but that's ancient history now.
Origin of ancient history
1585-95 Unabridged
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Examples from the Web for ancient history
Contemporary Examples
Historical Examples
  • The leading of the children of Israel out of Egypt was one of the outstanding movements of a great population in ancient history.

    The Call of the World W. E. Doughty
  • What revelations as to the ancient history of Mexico might be contained in this cave!

  • Almost all the knowledge I possess of ancient history was obtained in this way, in one year.

    The Young Man's Guide William A. Alcott
  • After his death his accusers were despised, as you will read in ancient history some day.

  • I had a long conversation with the emperor, particularly on ancient history and Csar.

    Letters to an Unknown Prosper Mrime
British Dictionary definitions for ancient history

ancient history

the history of the ancient world from the earliest known civilizations to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in 476 a.d
(informal) a recent event or fact sufficiently familiar to have lost its pertinence
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Slang definitions & phrases for ancient history

ancient history

noun phrase

Something or someone from the past, esp an old romance: Max is ancient history

Copyright (C) 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers.
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Idioms and Phrases with ancient history

ancient history

A past event, as in She's talking about her sea voyage, but that's ancient history, or And then there was his divorce, but you don't want to hear ancient history. This hyperbolic idiom transfers the field of ancient history to a much-repeated tale.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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