dotage

[doh-tij]

noun

1. a decline of mental faculties, especially as associated with old age; senility.

2. excessive fondness; foolish affection.

dotage

/ ˈdəʊtɪdʒ /

noun

1. feebleness of mind, esp as a result of old age

2. foolish infatuation

Word History and Origins

Origin of dotage¹

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; dote, -age

Word History and Origins

Origin of dotage¹

C14: from _dote + _-age

Example Sentences

It broke Lyndon Johnson, turned Barack Obama’s hair gray and accelerated Joe Biden’s decline into dotage.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Rebecca Amos, one of the park's vets, says a special diet and some exercise will be key to looking after Victoria in her dotage.

Read more on BBC

We meet Bob in his dotage; retired from life as a librarian, he stumbles into a new sense of purpose as a senior-center volunteer.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Charles took over the family business well past normal retirement age, while Amis was denied the illustrious dotage that great writers deserve.

Read more on New York Times

However, she said the North wouldn’t simply dismiss his words as a “nonsensical remark from the person in his dotage.”

Read more on Seattle Times