antiqua

A1N1T1I1Q10U1A1

noun

A style of typeface used to mimic styles of handwriting or calligraphy common during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Less commonScrabble 16

Meanings

antiqua1

nounantiqua (countable and uncountable, plural antiquas)

plural antiquas

  1. alternativecountableuncountableAlternative form of Antiqua (“style of typeface”).

Antiqua2

nounAntiqua (countable and uncountable, plural Antiquas)

plural Antiquas

  1. countableuncountablemediaA style of typeface used to mimic styles of handwriting or calligraphy common during the 15th and 16th centuries.
    3 more examples

    The Tiemann antiqua of 1909 was a real success, however, and has found favour in England. The companion italic, the Tiemann kursiv is an even more handsome letter. Klingspor’s recent antiquas also include a highly successful character designed by Peter Behrens in 1914. The latest creation is an antiqua cut by Rudolph Koch.

    1923, Stanley Morison, Holbrook Jackson, A Brief Survey of Printing: History and Practice, page 36

    The early letters of this kind have been classified as Transitional, implying that in their development they lay between the Antiquas and the Moderns; but when one looks at the free individualism of the street names of Bath, 25 and 26, it is obviously inappropriate nomenclature and only English will do.

    1980, Jock Kinneir, Words and Buildings: The Art and Practice of Public Lettering, →ISBN, page 36

    Class VI Sanserifs is just as disorganized. Here, pure Antiquas are grouped with sanserif and classical typefaces. Moreover, there are Humanist styles and other partly-constructed sanserif styles that are meant chiefly for display purposes. / Class VII Display Antiquas can easily be regarded as a catch-all class simply from its name.

    1994, Karl H. Warkentin, “16. Classifying Typefaces according to DIN”, in Peter Karow, editor, Font Technology: Methods and Tools, →ISBN, “Summary”, page 356
  2. countableuncountablemediaAny typeface with serifs and modulation (often as opposed to Gothic).

Origin

  1. Latinantīqua
  2. EnglishAntiqua

From Latin antīqua, feminine of antīquus.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

German Antiqua
  • AntiquaTranslations
Polish antykwa
  • antykwaTranslations

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

antiqua. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antiqua

MLA

“antiqua.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antiqua. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “antiqua,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antiqua.

Source: antiqua on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.