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

An octogenarian, Mick can still be seen dancing on the ashes of Western Civilization.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025

So the prolific octogenarian doubled down, retweeting other Tesla and Musk haters and praising the mogul’s estranged transgender daughter.

From Slate • Nov. 13, 2025

Senior and Junior are two octogenarian neighbors in Chennai, India, who spend their time together arguing.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 4, 2025

In his campaign for a second term, current President Lazarus Chakwera pledged to fix Malawi's economy - as did his main rival, octogenarian former leader Peter Mutharika.

From BBC • Sep. 16, 2025

They seemed, at times, to come and go almost daily, with the exception of Miss Trixie, the octogenarian assistant accountant, who had been copying figures inaccurately into the Levy' ledgers for almost half a century.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole