octogenarian

American  

[ok-tuh-juh-nair-ee-uhn] / ˌɒk tə dʒəˈnɛər i ən /

adjective

1. of the age of 80 years.

2. between 80 and 90 years old.

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noun

1. a person who is between 80 and 90 years old.

octogenarian British  

/ ˌɒktəʊdʒɪˈnɛərɪən, ɒkˈtɒdʒɪnərɪ /

noun

1. a person who is from 80 to 89 years old

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adjective

1. of or relating to an octogenarian

Usage

What does octogenarian mean? An octogenarian is someone in their 80s (80 to 89 years old), or someone who is 80 years old. Octogenarian can also be used as an adjective to describe someone in their 80s, as in Our audience is mostly made up of octogenarian women, or things related to such a person, as in I have entered my octogenarian 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), and nonagenarian (90s). Such words are more commonly used as people get older: quadragenarian and quinquagenarian are rarely used, but septuagenarian and octogenarian are more commonly used. Another less common word for octogenarian is octogenary. Example: Today is my last day as an octogenarian—tomorrow I begin my 90s!

Other Word Forms

• octogenarianism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of octogenarian

1805–15; < Latin octōgēnāri ( us ) comprising eighty, eighty years old (equivalent to octōgēn ( ī ) eighty each + -ārius -ary ) + -an

Explanation

Someone who's octogenarian is older than 80 and younger than 90. If your great-aunt is 84, she's an octogenarian. You can use this word as an adjective or a noun for anyone who is in their eighties. Many octogenarians are grandparents. While one octogenarian might live in an assisted living residence and use a wheelchair, plenty of octogenarian folks drive their own cars and live in houses or apartments. Just like teenagers or thirty-somethings, octogenarians don't necessarily have much in common with each other aside from their age.

Example Sentences

“I don’t predict,” the octogenarian Nobel Prize winner quickly texted back, “so the price is always right.”

From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026

He said his octogenarian mother used to like going to three a week for the food.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 12, 2026

For Northern Irish dancer Clara Kerr, who is performing alongside her, the octogenarian is "so inspiring".

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft are the octogenarian owners, respectively, of the Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots; both built leviathans for football stadiums while finding creative ways to expand the NFL brand.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

Some octogenarian politely tapped Robbie on the shoulder, and Robbie offered him Sierra’s hand.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older