# relic

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɹɛlɪk/ · frequency rank #17,935

## Definitions
1. That which remains; that which is left after loss or decay; a remaining portion.
2. Something old and outdated, possibly kept for sentimental reasons.
3. A part of the body of a saint, or an ancient religious object, kept for veneration.
4. A particle or entity that has existed since the Big Bang.

## Etymology
From Middle English relik et al., from Old French relique, from Latin reliquiae (“remains, relics”), from relinquō (“I leave behind, abandon, relinquish”), from re- + linquō (“I leave, quit, forsake, depart from”). Doublet of relict, derelict, and relinquish.

## Easily confused with
- **rely** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relic-vs-rely)
- **Remi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relic-vs-remi)
- **remix** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relic-vs-remix)
- **resin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relic-vs-resin)
- **remit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relic-vs-remit)
- **Revis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relic-vs-revis)
- **relief** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relic-vs-relief)
- **relics** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relic-vs-relics)
- **relish** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relic-vs-relish)
- **relive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relic-vs-relive)
- **replica** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relic-vs-replica)
- **rec** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rec-vs-relic)
- **rei** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rei-vs-relic)
- **rel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rel-vs-relic)
- **Reid** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reid-vs-relic)
- **rein** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rein-vs-relic)
- **reis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reis-vs-relic)
- **reit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reit-vs-relic)
- **relax** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relax-vs-relic)
- **relay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/relay-vs-relic)

## Common misspellings (7)
`erlic`, `reilc`, `relci`, `relicc`, `rellic`, `rleic`, `rrelic`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/relic