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Glite Dictionary
antediluvian patriarch

antediluvian patriarch

9.9
A man in the Bible who lived before Noah's flood
  • noun
  • /ˌæn.tɪ.dɪˈluː.vi.ən ˈpeɪ.tri.ɑrk/
  • Literature
translation icon : patriarca antediluviano
  • Genealogies in Genesis list several antediluvian patriarchs who reportedly lived for centuries.

Examples

  • Methuselah is often considered one of the most prominent antediluvian patriarchs in biblical tradition.

  • Noah was one of the most famous antediluvian patriarchs.

  • The story of the antediluvian patriarchs is central to early biblical history.

  • The antediluvian patriarchs are often mentioned in religious texts.

  • Genealogies in Genesis list several antediluvian patriarchs who reportedly lived for centuries.

  • Methuselah is often considered one of the most prominent antediluvian patriarchs in biblical tradition.

  • The story of the antediluvian patriarchs is central to early biblical history.

Surface Forms

antediluvian patriarch singular
antediluvian patriarchs plural

Morphology

antediluvian + patriarch

The noun phrase is directly compositional: 'antediluvian' (pre‑Flood / very old or old‑fashioned) modifies 'patriarch' (a forefather), so the phrase straightforwardly denotes a patriarch who lived before the Flood. This adjective+noun pattern is a regular, cross‑linguistic composition, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would be able to infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

The phrase antediluvian patriarch comes from old Bible stories: antediluvian means 'before the flood' and patriarch means 'early father' or leader. So the picture is of very ancient fathers who lived before Noah's flood, and today the phrase can mean those early biblical men or, more loosely, someone very old or out of date.