old

[ ohld ]

/ oʊld /

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See synonyms for: old / elder / eldest / older on Thesaurus.com

adjective, old·er

[ohl-der], /ˈoʊl dər/, old·est

[ohl-dist] /ˈoʊl dɪst/ or eld·er

[el-der], /ˈɛl dər/, eld·est

[el-dist]. /ˈɛl dɪst/.

far advanced in the years of one's or its life: an old man; an old horse;an old tree.

of or relating to the latter part of the life or term of existence of a person or thing: old age.

as if or appearing to be far advanced in years: Worry had made him old.

having lived or existed for a specified time: a man 30 years old;a century-old organization.

having lived or existed as specified with relation to younger or newer persons or things: Jim is our oldest boy.

having been aged for a specified time: This whiskey is eight years old.

having been aged for a comparatively long time: old brandy.

long known or in use: the same old excuse.

overfamiliar to the point of tedium: Some jokes get old fast.

belonging to the past: the good old days.

having been in existence since the distant past: a fine old family.

no longer in general use: This typewriter is an old model.

acquired, made, or in use by one prior to the acquisition, making, or use of something more recent: When the new house was built, we sold the old one.

of, relating to, or originating at an earlier period or date: old maps.

prehistoric; ancient: There may have been an old land bridge between Asia and Alaska.

Old, (of a language) in its oldest known period, as attested by the earliest written records: Old Czech.

experienced: He's an old hand at welding.

of long standing; having been such for a comparatively long time: an old and trusted employee.

(of colors) dull, faded, or subdued: old rose.

deteriorated through age or long use; worn, decayed, or dilapidated: old clothes.

Physical Geography. (of landforms) far advanced in reduction by erosion or the like.

sedate, sensible, mature, or wise: That child seems old beyond his years.

(used to indicate affection, familiarity, disparagement, or a personalization): good old Bob;that dirty old jalopy.

Informal. (used as an intensive) great; uncommon: a high old time.

former; having been so formerly: a dinner for his old students.

noun

Usually the old .(used with a plural verb) old persons collectively: appropriations to care for the old.

a person or animal of a specified age or age group (used in combination): a class for six-year-olds;a horse race for three-year-olds.

old or former time, often time long past: days of old.

OTHER WORDS FOR old

10 olden, early.

See synonyms for old on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR old

1 young.

See antonyms for old on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

TAKE JOY IN ACING THIS QUIZ ON “PRIDE” SYNONYMS

Hold your head up high as you embark on this quiz that explores some of the synonyms and meanings of “pride.”

Question 1 of 7

What does "dignity" mean?

showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of old

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English eald, ald; cognate with Dutch old, German alt, Gothic altheis; akin to Old Norse ala “to nourish”

OTHER WORDS FROM old

old·ness, noun

Words nearby old

Olathe, Olav V, Olbers, Olbers' paradox, Olcott, old, old Adam, old age, old age pension, old as Adam, Old Bailey

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use old in a sentence

He also owns three of the top five seasons by average fastball velocity among players 30 and older.
Jacob DeGrom Just Keeps Throwing Faster|Travis Sawchik|September 17, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Meanwhile, a 20-something university student told me that the coronavirus now feels like old news to her peers.
The new Covid-19 case surge in Europe, explained|Julia Belluz|September 17, 2020|Vox
Innovation is all about using new technology to improve old processes.
How to drive digital innovation necessary during the pandemic|Nick Chasinov|September 16, 2020|Search Engine Watch
After 147 years, the Paris Cafe, one of the oldest bars in New York City, has poured its final cocktail.
Bar Rescue: Pandemic Edition|jakemeth|September 15, 2020|Fortune

Then came the discovery of 279,000-year-old stone spear tips in Ethiopia.
Let’s learn about ancient technology|Bethany Brookshire|September 15, 2020|Science News For Students
So here I am in my requisite Lululemon pants, grunting along to an old hip-hop song at a most ungodly hour.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze|Lizzie Crocker|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It would became one of the first great mysteries in the United States of America, as it was only then 23 years old.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
To borrow an old right-wing talking point, these people are angry no matter what we do.
Harry Shearer on The Dangerous Business of Satire|Lloyd Grove|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He plays an aging punk rocker and I play the drummer from his old band.
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness|Marlow Stern|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Twelve-year-old dance prodigy Maddie Ziegler has suffered the wrath of Dance Moms tyrant Abby Lee Miller.
See Burly Shia LaBeouf Interpretive Cage Fight Lil Sia in the Singer’s Fantastic New Music Video|Marlow Stern|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Davy looked around and saw an old man coming toward them across the lawn.
Davy and The Goblin|Charles E. Carryl
His wife stood smiling and waving, the boys shouting, as he disappeared in the old rockaway down the sandy road.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
Old Mrs. Wurzel and the buxom but not too well-favoured heiress of the house of Grains were at the head of the table.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
Vicars' wives had come and gone, but all had submitted, some after a brief struggle, to old Mrs. Wurzel's sway.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
But with all her advantages Miss Solomonson failed with the old lord, and she abuses him to this day.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills

British Dictionary definitions for old

old

/ (əʊld) /

adjective

having lived or existed for a relatively long timean old man; an old tradition; old wine; an old house; an old country

of or relating to advanced years or a long lifeold age
(as collective noun; preceded by the)the old
old and young people of all ages

decrepit or senile

worn with age or useold clothes; an old car

(postpositive) having lived or existed for a specified perioda child who is six years old
(in combination)a six-year-old child
(as noun in combination)a six-year-old

(capital when part of a name or title) earlier or earliest of two or more things with the same namethe old edition; the Old Testament; old Norwich

(capital when part of a name) designating the form of a language in which the earliest known records are writtenOld English

(prenominal) familiar through long acquaintance or repetitionan old friend; an old excuse

practised; hardenedold in cunning

(prenominal often preceded by good) cherished; dear: used as a term of affection or familiaritygood old George

informal (with any of several nouns) used as a familiar form of address to a personold thing; old bean; old stick; old fellow

skilled through long experience (esp in the phrase an old hand)

out-of-date; unfashionable

remote or distant in origin or time of originan old culture

(prenominal) former; previousmy old house was small

(prenominal) established for a relatively long timean old member
(in combination)old-established

sensible, wise, or matureold beyond one's years

(of a river, valley, or land surface) in the final stage of the cycle of erosion, characterized by flat extensive flood plains and minimum reliefSee also youthful (def. 4), mature (def. 6)

(intensifier) (esp in phrases such as a good old time, any old thing, any old how, etc)

(of crops) harvested late

good old days an earlier period of time regarded as better than the present

little old informal indicating affection, esp humorous affectionmy little old wife

the old one or the old gentleman informal a jocular name for Satan

noun

an earlier or past time (esp in the phrase of old)in days of old

Derived forms of old

oldish, adjectiveoldness, noun

Word Origin for old

Old English eald; related to Old Saxon ald, Old High German, German alt, Latin altus high

usage for old

Many people nowadays prefer to talk about older people rather than old people, and the phrase the old is best avoided altogether

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with old

old

In addition to the idioms beginning with old

old as Adam
old chestnut
old college try, the
old saw
old shoe
old stamping ground
old story, an
old wives' tale

also see:

any old
chip off the old block
comfortable as an old shoe
dirty joke (old man)
get the air (old heave-ho)
no fool like an old fool
of old
ripe old age
same old story
settle a score (old scores)
stamping ground, old
teach an old dog new tricks
up to one's old tricks