septuagenarian

[sep-choo-uh-juh-nair-ee-uhn, -too-, -tyoo-]

adjective

1. of the age of 70 years or between 70 and 80 years old.

noun

1. a septuagenarian person.

septuagenarian

/ ˌsɛptjʊədʒɪˈnɛərɪən /

noun

1. a person who is from 70 to 79 years old

adjective

1. being between 70 and 79 years old

2. of or relating to a septuagenarian

Word History and Origins

Origin of septuagenarian¹

1705–15; < Latin septuāgēnāri ( us ) ( septuagenary ) + -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of septuagenarian¹

C18: from Latin septuāgēnārius, from septuāgēnī seventy each, from septuāgintā seventy

Example Sentences

The 76-year-old actor leads a cast of septuagenarian stars as a retired professor who takes on a job going undercover at a retirement community.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Investigators first became suspicious when the septuagenarian ringleader attempted to sell two supposedly original paintings by Picasso on the art market.

Read more on BBC

These emerging septuagenarian entrepreneurs share many motives with younger counterparts.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The motivations for septuagenarian entrepreneurs include desiring autonomy, pursuing meaningful projects and addressing societal needs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

At 50, he’s too old to be categorized as a millennial, but still far younger than the septuagenarians and sexagenarians ousted by some of Justice Democrats’ current and former candidates.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What does septuagenarian mean?

A septuagenarian is someone in their 70s (70 to 79 years old), or someone who is 70 years old.Septuagenarian can also be used as an adjective to describe someone in their 70s, as in Our audience is mostly made up of septuagenarian women, or things related to such a person, as in I have entered my septuagenarian 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), octogenarian (80s), 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 word for septuagenarian is septuagenary.Example: Today is my last day as a septuagenarian—tomorrow I begin my 80s!