anachronism

[ uh-nak-ruh-niz-uh m ]
/ əˈnæk rəˌnɪz əm /

noun

something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time, especially a thing or person that belongs to an earlier time: The sword is an anachronism in modern warfare.
an error in chronology in which a person, object, event, etc., is assigned a date or period other than the correct one: To assign Michelangelo to the 14th century is an anachronism.
Compare parachronism, prochronism.

Origin of anachronism

1640–50; < Latin anachronismus < Greek anachronismós a wrong time reference, equivalent to anachron(ízein) to make a wrong time reference (see ana-, chron-, -ize) + -ismos -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM anachronism

an·a·chron·i·cal·ly [an-uh-kron-ik-lee] /ˌæn əˈkrɒn ɪk li/, adverb

Words nearby anachronism

anacanthous, anacardiaceous, anacharis, anachorism, anachronic, anachronism, anachronistic, anachronous, anachrony, anacidity, anaclasis

British Dictionary definitions for anachronically

anachronism
/ (əˈnækrəˌnɪzəm) /

noun

the representation of an event, person, or thing in a historical context in which it could not have occurred or existed
a person or thing that belongs or seems to belong to another time she regards the Church as an anachronism

Derived forms of anachronism

anachronistic, adjective anachronistically, adverb

Word Origin for anachronism

C17: from Latin anachronismus, from Greek anakhronismos a mistake in chronology, from anakhronizein to err in a time reference, from ana- + khronos time