adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/əˌnæk.ɹəˈnɪs.tɪk/
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CMU ARPABET:AH0 N AE2 K R AH0 N IH1 S T IH0 K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Erroneous in date; containing an anachronism; in a wrong time; not applicable to or not appropriate for the time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
If you know where to look in the movie, you can spot an anachronistic wrist watch on one of the Roman soldiers.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adjective satellite
Meaning 2
chronologically misplaced
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
English public schools are anachronistic
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: anachronic, anachronous
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2en- Proto-Hellenic *aná Ancient Greek ᾰ̓νᾰ́ (ănắ) Ancient Greek ᾰ̓νᾰ- (ănă-) Ancient Greek χρόνος (khrónos) Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ίζω (-ízō) Ancient Greek χρονῐ́ζω (khronĭ́zō) Ancient Greek ᾰ̓νᾰχρονῐ́ζομαι (ănăkhronĭ́zomai) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek ᾰ̓νᾰχρονῐσμός (ănăkhronĭsmós)der. New Latin anachronismusder. English anachronism Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English anachronistic From anachronism + -ic.
Across languages
Translations
48 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
ժամանակավրեպ
(žamanakavrep)
— erroneous in date
Armenian:
անախրոնիկ
(anaxronik)
— erroneous in date
Belarusian:
анахранічны
(anaxraničny)
— erroneous in date
Catalan:
anacrònic
— erroneous in date
Chinese Mandarin:
不合時代 /不合时代
(bùhéshídài)
— erroneous in date
Chinese Mandarin:
不合時宜 /不合时宜
(bùhéshíyí)
— erroneous in date
Dutch:
anachronistisch
— erroneous in date
Esperanto:
anakronisma
— erroneous in date
Finnish:
epäajanmukainen
— erroneous in date
Finnish:
anakronistinen
— erroneous in date
Finnish:
aikaan sopimaton
— erroneous in date
French:
anachronique
— erroneous in date
Galician:
anacrónico
— erroneous in date
German:
anachronistisch
— erroneous in date
German:
fehldatiert
— erroneous in date
German:
zeitwidrig
— erroneous in date
Greek:
αναχρονιστικός
(anachronistikós)
— erroneous in date
Hebrew:
אֲנַכְרוֹנִיסְטִי
(anakhronisti)
— erroneous in date
Hungarian:
anakronisztikus
— erroneous in date
Irish:
mí-aimseartha
— erroneous in date
Italian:
anacronistico
— erroneous in date
Japanese:
時代錯誤の
(jidaisakugo no)
— erroneous in date
Korean:
시대 착오
(sidae chago)
— erroneous in date
Latin:
anachronicus
— erroneous in date
Latin:
anachronisticus
— erroneous in date
Luxembourgish:
anachronistesch
— erroneous in date
Manx:
mee-emshiragh
— erroneous in date
Polish:
anachroniczny
— erroneous in date
Brazilian Portuguese:
anacrônico
— erroneous in date
European Portuguese:
anacrónico
— erroneous in date
Romanian:
anacronic
— erroneous in date
Russian:
анахрони́ческий
(anaxroníčeskij)
— erroneous in date
Russian:
анахрони́чный
(anaxroníčnyj)
— erroneous in date
Spanish:
anacrónico
— erroneous in date
Tagalog:
laos na
— erroneous in date
Galician:
anacrónico
— preferring past things and values
German:
anachronistisch
— preferring past things and values
German:
altmodisch
— preferring past things and values
German:
veraltet
— preferring past things and values
German:
überkommen
— preferring past things and values
German:
antiquiert
— preferring past things and values
German:
traditionalistisch
— preferring past things and values
German:
obsolet
— preferring past things and values
German:
unzeitgemäß
— preferring past things and values
Polish:
anachroniczny
— preferring past things and values
Brazilian Portuguese:
anacrônico
— preferring past things and values
European Portuguese:
anacrónico
— preferring past things and values
Spanish:
anacrónico
— preferring past things and values