What does anachronistic mean?
Anachronistic is an adjective describing something that belongs to a time other than the one it actually occupies — most often something conspicuously out of place because it is too old for its surroundings. A rotary telephone appearing in a film set in the 1990s, or a medieval manuscript depicting a knight wearing a wristwatch, would both be called anachronistic. The word derives from the Greek roots 'ana-' (backward) and 'chronos' (time), via the noun 'anachronism,' which entered English in the seventeenth century. In everyday use, anachronistic frequently carries a critical edge: describing a law, custom, or attitude as anachronistic implies it has outlived its usefulness and sits awkwardly in the modern world. At the same time, historians and critics apply it neutrally when analyzing errors or deliberate choices in art and literature, where a detail from the wrong era can reveal much about a work's creation. Related forms include the noun 'anachronism' and the adverb 'anachronistically.'
adjectiveBelonging or appropriate to a period other than the one in which one actually exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned in a modern setting. It describes people, objects, ideas, or practices that are out of keeping with their own time.
- Describing something placed in, or belonging to, the wrong historical period (e.g. a clock in a medieval painting).
- Describing ideas, customs, or institutions that are outmoded and ill-suited to present times.
"The film's depiction of Victorian London was marred by an anachronistic electric streetlamp glowing in the background."
"Critics noted the anachronistic wristwatch visible on an actor's wrist in the otherwise meticulously researched period drama."
"Some argue that the electoral college has become an anachronistic institution in a modern democracy."
The word 'anachronistic' is itself a kind of time traveler — built from Greek roots meaning 'backward in time,' it names the very mistake of letting the wrong era slip into view.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of anachronistic
Anachronistic comes from the noun 'anachronism,' which entered English in the early seventeenth century and was formed from Greek elements: 'ana-' meaning backward or against, and 'chronos' meaning time. The underlying concept emerged from Renaissance scholarship, as humanist critics began scrutinizing ancient texts and artworks for details that betrayed a later date of composition. Words sharing the same Greek root 'chronos' include chronology, chronic, and synchronize.
Related word forms
How anachronistic is actually used
Anachronistic carries a mildly critical connotation when applied to institutions or attitudes, suggesting they are out of step with the times; in discussions of art, film, and literature it is often used neutrally or even appreciatively to flag deliberate or accidental temporal mismatches. It is a formal, educated-register word common in criticism, history, and journalism.
Easily confused with anachronistic
Archaic describes something genuinely very old and no longer in ordinary use, whereas anachronistic describes something that is out of place in the specific time period it appears in.