elderly
Americanadjective
-
of advanced age; old.
discounts for elderly patrons.
-
of or relating to persons in later life.
noun
adjective
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
Etymology
Origin of elderly
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."
Vocabulary lists containing elderly
Ancient Wisdom: Synonyms for "Old"
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"The Ugly One," Vocabulary from Chapters 16-20
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Society
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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.
"I was able to identify many people. There is an elderly man in the video who is like a grandfather to us," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
A transfer to an elderly parent could also affect Medicaid eligibility or estate recovery, depending on your mother’s circumstances.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
“West Nile virus can be fatal, particularly for the elderly and immunocompromised,” said State Health Officer Dr. Erica Pan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Salmonella causes similar symptoms and can be especially dangerous for children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
She was far from home, Lkossa and the Night Zoo were distant, but she still remembered the things she’d heard as a child, the stories elderly beastkeepers had recalled.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
