retiree

American  

[ri-tahy-ree, -tahyuhr-ee] / rɪ taɪˈri, -ˈtaɪər i /

noun

1. a person who has retired from an occupation or profession.

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retiree British  

/ rɪˈtaɪəˌriː /

noun

1. a person who has retired from work

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Etymology

Origin of retiree

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; retire + -ee

Explanation

A retiree is a person who has permanently stopped working. Florida is famous for being a state where many retirees live. That's why Florida has so many golf courses (and nursing homes). Most retirees are 65 or older — they've worked their whole lives, and when they retire, or cease working, they're taking a well-deserved break. Many older people continue to work, instead of becoming retirees. The word retiree comes from retire, which first meant "to retreat," and later "to withdraw to a private place." The suffix -ee is often used in legal terms to mean "initiator of an action."

Example Sentences

If you are under the age of 65 and do not have retiree health benefits from an employer, insurance can be a major expense.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Achilles tears are known throughout the NBA as injuries that turn players into shadows of their former selves, demoting an All-Star into a role player and a role player into a retiree.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

From 2023 through 2025, retiree confidence had been increasing in EBRI’s annual survey.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

A retiree himself, Davis mostly lives off his Social Security, so the extra money is important, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Colin watched in a lock-jawed silence as Hassan furiously stabbed at his breakfast, and later as Hassan slammed the mini-recorder down on the coffee table of some factory retiree who was old-but-not-old-enough-for-the-nursing home.

From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green

Related Words

• pensioner
• senior