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Definition of ancient : 1. A senior; an elder; a predecessor.
2. An aged man; a patriarch. Hence: A governor; a ruler; a person of influence.
3. An ensign or flag.
4. Dignified, like an aged man; magisterial; venerable.
5. Experienced; versed.
6. Former; sometime.
7. Known for a long time, or from early times; - opposed to recent or new; as, the ancient continent.
8. Old; that happened or existed in former times, usually at a great distance of time; belonging to times long past; specifically applied to the times before the fall of the Roman empire; -- opposed to modern; as, ancient authors, literature, history; ancient days.
9. Old; that has been of long duration; of long standing; of great age; as, an ancient forest; an ancient castle.
10. One of the senior members of the Inns of Court or of Chancery.
11. The bearer of a flag; an ensign.
12. Those who lived in former ages, as opposed to the moderns.

Synonyms:

olden, youth, elder, start, oldster, study at, antediluvian patriarch, high, age-old, old-fashioned, immemorial, classical, hoary, quaint, old-timer, senior, senior citizen, early, golden ager, timeworn, new

mature, venerable, aged, matured, octogenarian, elderly, vintage, geriatric, superannuated, old, ripe, durable

former, past, ago, yore, old-time, bygone, anteceding, yesterday's, historical, previous

primeval, archaic, primitive, primordial, antique, paleolithic, antiquated, antediluvian

Usage examples:

• Chief among these is that ancient thing called the Practical Joke. - "Further Foolishness", Stephen Leacock.
• In the ancient German there was one. - "The English Language", Robert Gordon Latham.
• Good- bye, ancient ones, good- bye, Back I go across the sky; To my motherkin I go- Little daughter of the Snow. - "Old Peter's Russian Tales", Arthur Ransome.