anachronism

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred
  2. noun an artifact that belongs to another time
  3. noun a person who seems to be displaced in time; who belongs to another age

Etymology

From New Latin anachronismus, from Ancient Greek ἀναχρονισμός (anakhronismós), from ἀναχρονίζομαι (anakhronízomai, “referring to the wrong time”), from ἀνά (aná, “up against”) + χρονίζω (khronízō, “spending time”), from χρόνος (khrónos, “time”). Analyzable as ana- + chrono- + -ism.

In classic literature

Synonyms

mistiming, misdating

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