Antiques refers to objects that are old and valued for their age, craftsmanship, and rarity, typically at least 100 years old. The term can describe items collected for decoration, investment, or historical interest, and is commonly used in galleries, shops, and auctions. It also extends to the field of antiquities, where artifacts of ancient origin are studied and traded.
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- You might pronounce it as an-ticks with a short /ɪ/ instead of the long /iː/; fix by focusing on the tongue height and elongation of /iː/ in the second syllable. - Another mistake is stressing the first syllable (AN-tiks) or not stressing the second syllable; practice with rhythm drills to lock in TI as the stressed syllable. - Some learners insert a schwa after /t/ (an-ti-əks); remove the mid vowel and keep /tiː/. Practice by saying 'an- TEEKS' with a tight transition to /ks/.
- US: /ænˈtiːks/ with a pure /iː/ and a mid-to-high tongue body; UK: /ænˈtiːks/ with a slightly sharper vowel quality and non-rhotic influence on surrounding words; AU: /ænˈtiːks/; note broader vowel space and more clipped final /s/. - Vowel height and tenseness: keep your tongue high for /iː/ but not so high you slip into /i/; lips spread slightly for /iː/. - Consonant join: transition from /t/ to /iː/ should be abrupt, not blended, to preserve syllable boundary. - IPA cues help: /æ/ or /æŋ/ depending on dialect; stress on TI.
"The antique shop down the street has a stunning 19th-century desk."
"She inherited a collection of antiques from her grandmother."
"We spent the afternoon browsing antique jewelry and silverware."
"Auction day drew collectors who specialize in early American antiques."
The word antiques comes from the French antique, which derives from the Latin antiqueus, meaning old, ancient. The Latin root antiquus itself traces to antiquus (old, ancient) with Proto-Indo-European roots in ank- meaning “before.” In English, antique evolved to describe items of great age and value by the 14th century, originally in contexts of ancient, venerable artifacts. By the 18th and 19th centuries, the term broadened to include furniture, artworks, and other objects of perceived historical worth, especially those suitable for collecting, display, or investment. Its semantic field shifted from simply “old” to “valuable because of age and craftsmanship,” a sense reinforced by auctions, decorators, and museums. Modern usage retains this emphasis on age, provenance, and desirability, with timing thresholds increasingly fluid among collectors (often around 100 years or more). First known written uses in English appear in catalogues and inventories describing long-standing, revered objects, gradually solidifying the sense of “objects of antique value.”
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "antiques" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "antiques" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "antiques" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "antiques"
-ics sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
You say /ænˈtiːks/. The first syllable is a short ‘a’ as in cat, the second is a stressed long 'ee' sound, followed by a 'ks' ending. Mouth starts open for the first syllable, then clamps to emit the long /iː/ with the tongue high. The stress falls on the second syllable: an-TIQUES. Listen for the crisp /t/ and the final /ks/ cluster. IPA: /ænˈtiːks/.
Common mistakes: 1) misplacing stress on the first syllable (an- TI- ques). 2) shortening the /iː/ to a lax /ɪ/ or mispronouncing as /æntiks/. 3) adding an extra syllable or pronouncing the final -es as /iz/ instead of /iːks/. Correction: keep /æn/ then main stress on /tiː/ followed by /ks/. Target /ænˈtiːks/ with a clean /t/ and brisk /ks/ at the end.
US: /ænˈtiːks/ with rhotic influence minimal on vowels; UK: /ænˈtiːks/ with slightly tighter vowels and non-rhotic R absence doesn’t apply here. AU: /ænˈtiːks/ similar to US but with often broader vowel quality and more clipped final /s/. The key is preserving /tiː/ as a long vowel and the /ks/ ending; difference lies in vowel rounding and speed. IPA references: US /ænˈtiːks/, UK /ænˈtiːks/, AU /ænˈtiːks/.
The difficulty stems from the /tiː/ sequence followed by /ks/, where the tongue must move from a high-front position for /t/ to a high-front, tense /iː/ then quickly to the /ks/ consonants without inserting an extra vowel. The plural/third-syllable rise in stress on TI and the subtle length of the /iː/ can trip non-native speakers. Practicing minimal pairs helps. IPA cues: /ænˈtiːks/.
A unique aspect is the long /iː/ vowel in the second syllable that contrasts with the short /ɪ/ many learners default to in similar words. Maintain a crisp, elongated /iː/ before the final /ks/. Also ensure the /t/ is not flapped in American casual speech; keep a precise /t/ to sustain correct syllable separation. IPA: /ænˈtiːks/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "antiques"!
- Shadowing: listen to a native speaker say ‘antiques’ in context and imitate exactly the rhythm and pitch, pausing after the word to mimic auction or store chatter. - Minimal pairs: antiques vs ants? works but not perfect; better: antiques /ænˈtiːks/ vs an- ticks? Instead practice with phrases that place emphasis (the AN-ti-ques shop) to feel stress placement. - Rhythm: practice the iambic pattern in longer sentences: It’s an- TI-ques, The antique shop. - Stress: count syllables: an-ti-QUES; hold /tiː/ longer than surrounding vowels. - Recording: record yourself reading sentences with the word, compare to a native speaker and adjust.
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