ancients
ancients. Hist. Certain members of seniority in the Inns of Court and Chancery. • In Gray’s Inn, the society con-sisted of benchers, ancients, barristers, and students under the bar, with the ancients being the oldest barristers. In the Middle Temple, those who passed the readings were termed ancients. The Inns of Chancery consisted of both ancients and students or clerks.