nonagenarian

American  

[non-uh-juh-nair-ee-uhn, noh-nuh-] / ˌnɒn ə dʒəˈnɛər i ən, ˌnoʊ nə- /

adjective

1. of the age of 90 years, or between 90 and 100 years old.

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noun

1. a nonagenarian person.

nonagenarian British  

/ ˌnəʊnədʒɪˈnɛərɪən /

noun

1. a person who is from 90 to 99 years old

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or denoting a nonagenarian

Usage

What does nonagenarian mean? A nonagenarian is someone in their 90s (90 to 99 years old), or someone who is 90 years old. Nonagenarian can also be used as an adjective to describe someone in their 90s, as in Our audience is mostly made up of nonagenarian women, or things related to such a person, as in I have entered my nonagenarian years. It’s one of several similar terms used to refer to a person of a certain age, including quadragenarian (40s), quinquagenarian (50s), sexagenarian (60s), septuagenarian (70s), octogenarian (80s), and centenarian (100 or older). Example: Today is my last day as a nonagenarian—tomorrow I turn 100!

Etymology

Origin of nonagenarian

1795–1805; < Latin nōnāgēnāri ( us ) containing ninety, consisting of ninety ( nōnāgēn ( ī ) ninety each + -ārius -ary ) + -an

Example Sentences

Nonagenarian Stagg's life, though far from typical, may contain clues, for the observant gerontologist, to the secret of a long and useful existence.

From Time Magazine Archive

Nonagenarian Epps remembered that he had sung the same song at John Brown's funeral in 1859.

From Time Magazine Archive

Nonagenarian Marshal P�tain, who had dozed through much of the testimony in his behalf, suddenly sat up straight.

From Time Magazine Archive

Nonagenarian Marshal Henri Philippe Petain sat nervously at first, then fell into a half-doze.

From Time Magazine Archive

Nonagenarian, non-a-je-nā′ri-an, n. one who is ninety years old.—adj. relating to ninety.—adj.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various