antique vase
1
6.3
- noun
- /ænˈtiːk veɪs/
:
jarrón antiguo
- The antique vase on the mantelpiece added charm to the living room with its intricate design and rich history.
Examples
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He carefully placed the antique vase on the shelf, afraid that its age would make it too fragile to withstand any bumps.
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One should always handle an antique vase from the inside.
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Some were impossible, like piecing together an antique vase.
Fiction book (2000) -
She had stolen the last few valuable things in his apartment: some silverware his mother had given him, an antique vase his father had sent him once.
Fiction book (1994) -
One day when Sinatra stopped by his first wife's house to attend his young daughter's birthday party, he arrived just as a rambunctious youngster toppled an antique vase from the mantel.
Academic text (2011) -
At the auction, she bid confidently on the antique vase, knowing it would be a stunning centerpiece in her home.
Synonyms
118
1.0
A container often made of glass or porcelain for holding cut flowers
109
5.6
An object made long ago and valued for its age or beauty
92
5.3
A thing from the past kept because it is important or valuable
How Valuable
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'antique' (an object valued for its age) modifies 'vase' (an ornamental container), yielding 'a vase that is old and valued.' This straightforward adjective+noun construction follows normal English and cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The noun antique vase comes from the picture of a beautiful old vase that families or museums keep because it is an antique, meaning 'old' and 'valuable'. That's why antique vase means a decorative vase valued for its age and history.