Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

elderly

American  
[el-der-lee] / ˈɛl dər li /

adjective

  1. of advanced age; old.

    discounts for elderly patrons.

  2. of or relating to persons in later life.


noun

(used with a plural verb)
  1. Usually the elderly elderly people collectively; senior citizens.

elderly British  
/ ˈɛldəlɪ /

adjective

    1. quite old; past middle age

    2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the elderly

"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

Usage

Referring to any group using the formula the elderly , the disabled is nowadays felt to be inappropriate because it glosses over people's individuality and perpetuates stereotypes. It is preferable to use phrases such as disabled people and so forth. Many people also prefer to talk about older rather than elderly people for similar reasons

Other Word Forms

  • elderliness noun
  • nonelderly noun
  • unelderly adjective

Etymology

Origin of elderly

First recorded in 1605–15; elder 1 + -ly

Explanation

Someone who's elderly is very old. Your elderly neighbor might need help shoveling snow from her sidewalk and going grocery shopping each week. When you talk about an elderly person, you might call him a "senior citizen" or an "older gentleman." We tend to think of people as elderly when they're quite aged and have started to become physically frail. You can also use the adjective for animals or even inanimate objects that are getting old: "That elderly oak tree is going to have to come down." The Old English root ealdorlic means "princely" or "excellent."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing elderly

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Families prepare themselves for the worst when an elderly relative is gravely ill, but that doesn't make the loss any easier when it comes.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Besides some streamer vlogs in the area, no formal article or website has ever recognized the elderly man as an idol.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

A third of its population had left to find work on the coast, leaving behind the elderly and the young.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

Four in five include either a child, an elderly individual or a nonelderly individual with a disability.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

One of these was an elderly Austrian lady whom Willem had sent into hiding here.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom