middle age

American  

noun

1. the period of human life between youth and old age, sometimes considered as the years between 45 and 65 or thereabout.

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middle age British  

noun

1. the period of life between youth and old age, usually (in man) considered to occur approximately between the ages of 40 and 60

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Etymology

Origin of middle age

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

He notes that his grudge-holding is unbecoming of a man who’s pushing middle age before going on to attack his longtime producer Noah “40” Shebib.

From Salon • May 21, 2026

Someone who has no retirement savings in middle age can, unfortunately, receive the same amount of scorn as a well-heeled retiree who has $10 million in middle age.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

In middle age, Delery Anhalt has moved back to her hometown of New Orleans from Washington, D.C., after learning about her husband’s infidelities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Clearer long-term goals as he enters tennis middle age.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

But no matter how stringent the effort, the thicknesses of middle age were encircling him and threatening to overwhelm the athlete’s body, the Marine’s body of which he was so proud.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Related Words

• midlife