Words / B2

AHK-yv/ˈɑːkaɪv/

An archive is a collection of historical documents or records stored for future use: the university archive, digital archives. Records is everyday; library is for books you borrow, not usually unique papers. Archive can also be a verb (archive the emails). Archival is the adjective. In speech, the old records or the stored files is enough. Do not confuse it with a backup you might delete next week — archives are kept.

Meaning

A collection of historical documents or records, stored for future use.

Examples

• “The letters are kept in the university archive.”
• “The letters are in the county archive, not on the open shelves.”
• “Please archive last year’s minutes rather than leaving them in the shared inbox.”

Good to know

Stored historical records. Verb: archive. Adjective: archival. Everyday: old records. Contrast: library (borrowable books).

Near in meaning

records

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