Anachronism

Pronunciation

• GenAm enPR: É™năkʹrÉ™nÄ­zm; IPA: /əˈnækɹənɪzm/, /əˈnækɹənɪzÉ™m/

Origin

From Latin anachronismus, from Ancient Greek ἀναχρονισμός, from ἀναχρονίζομαι (anakhronizomai, "referring to the wrong time"), from ἀνά (ana, "up against") + χρονίζω (khronizo, "spending time"), which from χρόνος (khronos, "time").

Full definition of anachronism

Noun

1. A chronological mistake; the erroneous dating of an event, circumstance, or object.
2. A person or thing which seems to belong to a different time or period of time.
• 1956, Arthur C. Clarke, The City and the Stars, page 32:His movements, his clothes, everything about him, seemed slightly out of place in this assembly. He spoiled the pattern; like Alvin, he was an anachronism.

Synonyms

• throwback

Related terms