a very old person
"The ancient man at the bus stop told me stories of life before electricity."
a person who lived in ancient times
"The archaeologist carefully brushed dust off the ancient statue to reveal the face of an Egyptian pharaoh from thousands of years ago."
A person who is very old.
"The captain raised his ancient to signal the fleet into formation during the stormy sea battle."
A flag, banner, standard or ensign.
In plain English: An ancient is someone who has lived for a very long time and is now very old.
"The ancient ruins were covered in vines and dust."
Usage: The word "ancient" does not function as a noun meaning a flag, banner, standard, or ensign; those are synonyms for the English term "ensign." Instead, use "ancient" only as an adjective to describe something belonging to antiquity or very old.
belonging to times long past especially of the historical period before the fall of the Western Roman Empire
"ancient history"
"ancient civilizations such as those of the Etruscans and Sumerians"
"ancient Greece"
Having lasted from a remote period; having been of long duration; of great age, very old.
"The ancient ruins we visited today were built thousands of years ago during the Bronze Age."
In plain English: Ancient means something that is very old and has existed for a long time.
"The ancient ruins stood silently in the desert."
Usage: Use "ancient" to describe something that has existed since a remote past or possesses great age, such as ancient ruins or an ancient civilization. Avoid using it for items that are merely old but not historically distant, which should instead be described as old or aged.
The word ancient comes from Middle English and Old French roots that trace back to a Vulgar Latin form meaning "situated before." It entered English through these earlier languages, carrying its original sense of being prior in time or age.