Words / B2

KLAS-ikl/ˈklæsɪkl/

Classical means traditional and serious, especially music, or relating to ancient Greece and Rome: classical music; classical architecture. Classic (already in the dictionary) often means outstanding of its kind. Pop/rock contrast with classical music. Atrium playlists vs fire alarms.

Meaning

Traditional and serious, especially music; also relating to ancient Greece or Rome.

Examples

• “Classical music in the atrium clashed with the fire-alarm test.”
• “The module covers classical Athens, which is the ancient-history sense.”

Good to know

classical music / ballet / architecture. Ancient world: classical Greece. Mix-up: classic (a classic film). Not pop. Exam trap: classic vs classical.

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