/ˈrel·ɪk/ 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.

In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial.

A relic is a fragment from the past — one of Elvis's guitars, an ancient piece of pottery or even an outmoded way of thinking -– that remains behind. Your dad might love his old albums, but to you, they're just relics.

If you refer to something or someone as a relic of an earlier period, you mean that they belonged to that period but have survived into the present.