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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

classic

/ˈklæsɪk/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:47
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What does classic mean?

adjective

  1. Of or relating to the first class or rank, especially in literature or art.
  2. Exemplary of a particular style; defining a class or category; typical; archetypical; epitomic.
  3. Exhibiting timeless quality and excellence.
More meanings (10)

adjective

  1. Characteristic of or from the past; old; retro; vintage.
  2. Of or pertaining to the ancient Greeks and Romans, especially to Greek or Roman authors of the highest rank, or of the period when their best literature was produced; of or pertaining to places inhabited by the ancient Greeks and Romans, or rendered famous by their deeds.
  3. Traditional; original.
  4. (informal) Humorously ironic or apposite.

noun

  1. A perfect and/or early example of a particular style.
  2. An artistic work of lasting worth, such as a film or song; a work of enduring excellence.
  3. The author of such a work.
  4. A major, long-standing sporting event.
  5. Any of the British Classic Races, five long-standing Group 1 horse races run during the traditional flat racing season.
  6. (dated) One learned in the literature of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome; a student of classical literature.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˈklæsɪk/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

Following the example of certain prudent travellers, I withdrew unseen—and returned, not much wiser, to the Mediterranean, the sea of classic adventures.
Joseph ConradThe Mirror of the SeaProject Gutenberg ebook #1058
“Old shoes, but newly shod—old shoes, but new nails. This case deserves to be a classic. Let us go across to the smithy.”
Arthur Conan DoyleThe Return of Sherlock HolmesProject Gutenberg ebook #108
More book examples (3)
When he emerged from the hands of Aunt Gillenormand, his grandfather confided him to a worthy professor of the most purely classic innocence.
Victor HugoLes MisérablesTranslated by Isabel Florence HapgoodProject Gutenberg ebook #135
The chapter on "Ars Bibliopolae," or the art of bookselling, would be, he hoped, a classic among generations of book vendors still unborn.
Christopher MorleyThe Haunted BookshopProject Gutenberg ebook #172
Robinson was very successful in the classic trick of apparently eating large quantities of cotton and blowing smoke and sparks from the mouth.
Harry HoudiniMiracle Mongers and Their Methods A Complete Exposé of the Modus Operandi of Fire Eaters, Heat Resisters, Poison Eaters, Venomous Reptile Defiers, Sword Swallowers, Human Ostriches, Strong Men, Etc.Project Gutenberg ebook #435