relic

4 definitions • 4 examples

an object, tradition, or system from the past that continues to exist:

During the dig, the archaeological team found some relics from the Stone Age.

The country's employment system is a relic of the 1960s when jobs were scarce.

a part of the body or something that belonged to a holy person:

These bones are the relics of a 12th-century saint.

an object from the past, esp. one that has no modern use but is often valued for its meaning or importance in history:

The ship was a relic of the Spanish-American War.

A relic is also a part of the body or clothing of a saint (= holy person), or something that belonged to a saint.