Archaism is language used in writing that is considered today to be old-fashioned or outdated. Some modern writers have used archaic language purposefully to mimic or bring forth an older style, such as Ernest Hemingway, whose novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls is a 20th century example of this.

An archaism is a word that is no longer in common usage, but is used for stylistic effect to mimic the sound of older language. For example, “be that as it may” contains an example of archaism in the rare usage of “be,” though the phrase itself is still popular.

Archaic words that used to be common In English

Words become obsolete because the thing they refer to no longer exists; fashionable terms can become passe and words can be superseded by other ways of speaking. “The reason language changes is because each generation has to learn a language for themselves and what they do is construct a slightly changed version.

The words that are dying out because young people don’t use them anymore

• Sozzled. (40% of those surveyed were unfamiliar with it)
• Cad. (37% of those surveyed were unfamiliar with it)
• Bonk. (37% of those surveyed were unfamiliar with it)
• Wally.
• Betrothed.
• Nincompoop.
• Boogie.
• Bounder.

Here are seven words I think we should start using again immediately.

• Facetious. Pronounced “fah-see-shuss”, this word describes when someone doesn’t take a situation seriously, which ironically is very serious indeed.
• Henceforth.
• Ostentatious.
• Kerfuffle.
• Obsequious.

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It is somewhat old-fashioned, but it is still used – but it’s used knowing that the fact that it sounds somewhat old-fashioned gives a sentence a certain formality.

adjective. no longer in general use; fallen into disuse: an obsolete expression. of a discarded or outmoded type; out of date: an obsolete battleship. (of a linguistic form) no longer in use, especially, out of use for at least the past century.