Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| antigüedad | /antiɡweˈdad/ | feminine |
| arraigo laboral | /araiɡo laboɾal/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| enraizamiento institucional | /enraiθamjento instituθjonal/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /enraisamjento institusjonal/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
masculine |
| radicación grupal | /radikaθjon ɡɾupal/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /radikasjon ɡɾupal/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
antigüedad is a feminine noun used to refer to the length of time someone has held a specific job or position. It can also refer to the age or how long an object or institution has existed. In certain contexts, you might use experiencia to imply seniority or the phrase más antiguo/a to describe someone who is older or more senior.
Which one should you use?
While antigüedad refers to the length of time one has held a position, it is also the word used for the 'age' or 'oldness' of an object or institution.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form antigüedades can refer to both multiple instances of seniority and to ancient artifacts or antiquities.
How do you pronounce it?
/antiɡweˈdad/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the word senioridad. This is a common mistake made by English speakers attempting to translate 'seniority' directly, but it is not a standard Spanish word for seniority in professional contexts.
Did you know?
- If you want to describe a deep sense of seniority or belonging within a company, you might use the term arraigo. This comes from the verb arraigar, which means 'to take root'.
- The Spanish word for seniority, antigüedad, is a cognate of the English word 'antiquity'. This means the same word used for a person's length of service can also describe ancient ruins or historical artifacts.
- The word antigüedad comes from the Latin antīquitātem.
Examples in context
- Me sentiría más optimista sobre un brillante futuro para el hombre si invirtiese menos tiempo demostrando que puede burlarse de la naturaleza y más tiempo saboreando su dulzura y respetando su antigüedad.I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.This sentence demonstrates the use of antigüedad to describe respecting the seniority of nature.Tatoeba #854726 by User5289, translation #425080 by Scott
- Tiene mucha antigüedad en la empresaHe/She has a lot of seniority in the company.
- Ella es la más antigua en el grupoShe is the most senior in the group.
- Él lleva mucho tiempo en el cargoHe has been in the position for a long time.
- Tengo mucha antigüedad en esta empresaI have a lot of seniority in this company.
- Él es el más antiguo en el equipoHe is the most senior in the team.
- Su antigüedad en la empresa es de diez años.His seniority in the company is ten years.
- La antigüedad es importante para el ascenso.Seniority is important for the promotion.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are discussing office promotions.
- ElenaJavier, ¿quién recibirá el ascenso este año?Javier, who will get the promotion this year?
- JavierCreo que se lo darán por antigüedad.I think they will give it based on seniority.
- ElenaPero Elena tiene mejores resultados.But Elena has better results.
- JavierEs verdad, pero la antigüedad cuenta mucho aquí.That's true, but seniority counts for a lot here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “seniority” translations and entries antigüedad, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries antigüedad, arraigo, enraizamiento, grupal, institucional, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
