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ageism

[ ey-jiz-uhm ]
/ ˈeɪ dʒɪz əm /
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noun
discrimination against persons of a certain age group.
a tendency to regard older persons as debilitated, unworthy of attention, or unsuitable for employment.
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Origin of ageism

First recorded in 1965–70; age + -ism, on the model of sexism, racism, etc.

OTHER WORDS FROM ageism

age·ist, adjective, noun

Words nearby ageism

agee, Agee, James, age group, age hardening, ageing, ageism, ageist, Agelaus, ageless, agelong, agemate
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

learn more about ageism

The Language Of Ageism: Understanding How We Talk About Older PeopleThe words we use to talk to or about older people can sometimes be considered ageist. Let's examine the words we should avoid when addressing older people.
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Words related to ageism

generation gap

How to use ageism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ageism

ageism

agism

/ (ˈeɪdʒɪzəm) /
noun
discrimination against people on the grounds of age; specifically, discrimination against the elderly

Derived forms of ageism

ageist or agist, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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