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

Example Sentences

Because there is no running, jumping or lifting of heavy objects, everyone from young children to octogenarians can, and do, compete in amateur curling in Canada.

From Los Angeles Times

Our first review was in September 2023, when I described the drive as a “mash of a teenager with a learner’s permit and an octogenarian.”

From Barron's

Not wanting to let time slip away, I proposed an unconventional plan: to join me and an octogenarian friend at our annual opening night at the Hollywood Bowl.

From Los Angeles Times

Political analysts had begun to question if da Silva would even run in elections next October—likely the octogenarian’s last shot at the presidency.

From The Wall Street Journal

I set out to interview every octogenarian who might know and recall something about the law’s passage and implementation.

From Salon