old man
Americannoun
-
a father, usually one's own.
His old man's letting him have the car for the prom.
-
a husband.
The office is giving my old man a retirement party.
-
a boyfriend or male lover, especially a male lover with whom one cohabits.
-
(sometimes initial capital letters) a person in a position of authority, especially an employer or a commanding officer.
The Old Man has ordered an inspection for Saturday morning.
-
(used affectionately in addressing a man).
noun
-
informal (sometimes capitals) a man in command, such as an employer, foreman, or captain of a ship
-
facetious an affectionate term used in addressing a man
-
another name for southernwood
-
informal
-
an adult male kangaroo
-
(as modifier) very large
-
-
Christianity the unregenerate aspect of human nature
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Modern college basketball is an “old man’s game” due to bonus Covid eligibility and NIL payments.
"My old man was a football manager," he said.
From BBC
We meet him following a prologue set in a prison, where an old man is given the task of burning a batch of papers.
“The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions.”
How could we have guessed as we sat there—two middle-aged spinsters and an old man— that in place of memories were about to be given adventures such as we had never dreamed of?
From Literature
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.