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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Society
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"The Ugly One," Vocabulary from Chapters 16-20
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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.
But taking away the car keys might be easier than taking measures to prevent the elderly from falling victim to fraud.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
Media reports about the eviction of an elderly woman from her apartment in the capital triggered a wave of protests.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
She launched Childline, a British counselling service for children and young people, in 1986, and in 2013 she launched Silver Line to help elderly people suffering from isolation and loneliness.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
Melyanti, a 25-year-old carer for the elderly and part-time firefighter, told AFP there were some in the community "who don't like our fire prevention activities".
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
Another screen shows a smirking elderly man in a dusty rocking chair.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
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.
