former appearance; original form
Refers to the way something looked or was in the past; often used in historical, literary, or descriptive contexts.
This temple retains much of its original appearance from the time of its founding.
From old documents, we can infer the original form of that ceremony.
旧態 means 'old state' or 'former condition', often with a nuance of being outdated, whereas 古態 is more neutral and descriptive of past appearance.
Standard kanji spelling for 'former appearance/original form'.
Variant kanji form; less common than 古態.
Compound of 古 (old) and 態 (appearance, state). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is conventionally associated with the meaning 'former appearance'.