archaize

Archaize refers to the act of making something archaic, or of shaping language, style, or form to resemble an earlier period. Used as a transitive verb, it applies to texts, speech, or objects that are given an archaic character. Common spellings are archaize in American English and archaise in British English. The related noun forms are archaism, an archaic form or feature, and archaization, the process of becoming archaic or of rendering something archaic.

In literature and translation, authors may archaize dialogue or narration to evoke historical settings, regional dialects, or mythic tones. This can include archaic second-person pronouns, verb forms, obsolete spellings, and archaic syntax. In some cases, editors or creators intentionally archaize to achieve authenticity, while in other cases archaisms may appear inadvertently through translation or historical research.

Archaizing carries artistic and linguistic aims but also risks making text harder to read or jarring if overused or inconsistent. Guidelines for usage emphasize clear purpose, period-appropriate consistency, and audience awareness.

Etymology: The term derives from Greek archaios meaning ancient, via Latin archaius, and the English suffix -ize.