Ancien

I ought to have remembered that we call ancien regime what we have only known the end of; what is perceived thus on the horizon assumes a mysterious grandeur and seems the last chapter of a world we shall never see again; but as we go on it is soon we ourselves who are on the horizon for the generations behind us, the horizon continues to recede and the world which seemed finished begins again. ❋ Unknown (2003)

A second variant, which we often describe as the ancien regime, was somewhat different. ❋ Unknown (2009)

And very naturally, for it would be absurd to call the ancien regime a government without discussion: discussion abounded there, only, by reason of the bad form of the government, it was never sure with ease and certainty to affect political action. ❋ Walter Bagehot (1851)

"Monsignor L'ancien" - replaced him despite his venerable age.

For "ancien" where it is placed in its position to the noun it is describing determines the meaning. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Je suis ancien prof de francais ( "ancien" dans les deux sens du mot). ❋ Unknown (2009)

Je suis ancien prof de francais "ancien" dans les deux sens du mot. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Since the 1970s it has been common among progressives to argue that the UK was still a kind of ancien régime, having missed out on radical democratic and republican reforms, notably the principle of popular sovereignty that other western states had achieved. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Intelligent regulation and industrial policy have led to past booms and will lead to another, if not stopped by the ancien regime. ❋ William Bradley (2010)

Certainly it's hard to strike a balance between justice and revenge, between turning the other cheek and not letting the ancien regime off scot-free. ❋ Unknown (2011)