empty nester

or empty-nester

noun

1. a parent whose children have reached adulthood and left home.

empty-nester

noun

1. informal.
   a married person whose children have grown up and left home

Word History and Origins

Origin of empty nester¹

First recorded in 1960–65; empty nest + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Surrounded by exclusive, upscale condos, this building is more middle-class, she said, with a wide range of tenants — from young families to retirees to empty nesters.

From Washington Post

The couple describes themselves as empty nesters with two grown sons in college.

From Time