senescent
Americanadjective
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growing old; aging.
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Cell Biology. (of a cell) no longer capable of dividing but still alive and metabolically active.
adjective
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growing old
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characteristic of old age
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of senescent
First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin senēscent- (stem of senēscēns ) present participle of senēscere “to grow old,” equivalent to sen- “old” + -ēscent- -escent
Explanation
Something senescent is growing old or is elderly. Senescent things are deteriorating. Senescent and senile have something in common — the Latin root senex which means "old.” A baby or even a teenager would not be described as senescent because they're youthful and full of life. A nursing home is full of people who could be described as senescent; they’re old. "The Who" was going to sing “hope I die before I get senescent,” but it just didn’t have the same ring to it.
Vocabulary lists containing senescent
This Week In Words: August 31–September 6, 2019
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Ancient Wisdom: Synonyms for "Old"
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The Last Cuentista
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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.
These cells, known as senescent cells, no longer work normally, but they remain active enough to interfere with nearby tissue.
From Science Daily • May 20, 2026
Researchers developed a localized wound dressing carrying ABT-263 and reported that it reduced senescent cell burden, improved healing in diabetic mice, and showed no detectable systemic toxicity in that model.
From Science Daily • May 20, 2026
That suggests the treatment may be most active in older tissue, where senescent cells have built up.
From Science Daily • May 20, 2026
Scientists believe aptamers might one day carry therapies directly to senescent cells, allowing highly targeted treatment approaches.
From Science Daily • May 15, 2026
In one thin arm, threaded with veins in a kind of senescent bas-relief, was a basket.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
