A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or highest quality, class, or rank – something that exemplifies its class. The word can be an adjective (a ''classic'' car) or a noun (a ''classic'' of English literature). It denotes a particular quality in art, architecture, literature, design, technology, or other cultural artifacts. In commerce, products are named 'classic' to denote a long-standing popular version or model, to distinguish it from a newer variety. ''Classic'' is used to describe many major, long-standing sporting events. Colloquially, an everyday occurrence (e.g. a joke or mishap) may be described in some dialects of English as 'an absolute classic'. "Classic" should not be confused with ''classical'', which refers specifically to certain cultural styles, especially in

music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

and

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...

: styles generally taking inspiration from the Classical tradition, hence classicism.

The Classics

The

classics Classics, also classical studies or Ancient Greek and Roman studies, is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, ''classics'' traditionally refers to the study of Ancient Greek literature, Ancient Greek and Roman literature and ...

are the literature of

ancient Greece Ancient Greece () was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity (), that comprised a loose collection of culturally and linguistically r ...

and

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, known as

classical antiquity Classical antiquity, also known as the classical era, classical period, classical age, or simply antiquity, is the period of cultural History of Europe, European history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD comprising the inter ...

, and once the principal subject studied in the humanities. Classics (without the definite article) can refer to the study of philosophy, literature, history and the arts of the ancient world, as in "reading classics at Cambridge". From that usage came the more general concept of 'classic'.Definition o
classic
at ''dictionary.com''. The Chinese classics occupy a similar position in Chinese culture, and various other cultures have their own classics.

Cultural classics

Books, films and music particularly may become ''a classic'' but a painting would more likely be called a masterpiece. A classic is often something old that is still popular. The first known use of "classic" in this sense – a work so excellent that it is on the level of the "classics" (Greek and Latin authors) – is by the 18th-century scholar Rev. John Bowle. He applied the term to '' Don Quixote'', of which Bowle prepared an innovative edition, such as he judged that a classic work needed. Some other examples would be the 1876 novel '' The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'' by Mark Twain, the 1941 film '' Citizen Kane'', and the 1956 song " Blue Suede Shoes" by

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

. Lists of classics are long and wide-ranging, and would vary depending on personal opinion. Classic rock is a popular radio format, playing a repertoire of old but familiar recordings. A contemporary work may be hailed as an ''instant classic'', but the criteria for classic status tends to include the test of time. The term "classic" is in fact often generalized to refer to any work of a certain age, regardless of whether it is any good. A cult classic may be well known but is only favored by a minority.

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

refers to a category of "religious classics": "certain writings hicharose in a context of religious belief". In his 2015 encyclical letter, '' Laudato si''', he calls on the world of empirical science to rediscover the meaning and enduring power which such classics can offer to a dialogue with science.Pope Francis
Laudato si'
paragraph 199, published 24 May 2015, accessed 7 May 2024

Science and technology

A well known and reliable procedure, such as a demonstration of well-established scientific principle, may be described as classic: e.g. the Cartesian diver experiment.

Consumer artifacts

Manufacturers frequently describe their products as classic, to distinguish the original from a new variety, or to imply qualities in the product – although the Ford Consul Classic, a car manufactured 1961–1963, has the "classic" tag for no apparent reason. The iPod classic was simply called the iPod until the sixth generation, when ''classic'' was added to the name because other designs were also available – an example of a retronym. ''Coca-Cola Classic'' is the name used for the relaunch of Coca-Cola after the failure of the New Coke recipe change. Similarly, the

Classic A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of Masterpiece, lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or Literary merit, highest quality, class, or rank – something that Exemplification, exemplifies its ...

, a transit bus manufactured from 1982–1997, succeeded an unpopular futuristic design. A classic can be something old that remains prized or valuable (but not an antique). Classic cars, for example, are recognised by various collectors' organisations such as the Classic Car Club of America, who regulate the qualifying attributes that constitute classic status.

Sport

style is a technique in cross-country skiing Many sporting events take the name ''classic'': *Horse races, e.g. British Classic Races *Snooker tournaments e.g. the Wuxi Classic *College Basketball e.g. the Charleston Classic *Major League Baseball All-Star Game e.g. the Midsummer Classic * World Baseball Classic *National Hockey League, the Winter Classic. *Cycling, the Classic cycle races In Spanish-speaking countries, the term refers to a match between two football teams known as traditional rivals, e.g. El Clásico in Spain.

References

{{Reflist Concepts in aesthetics Culture