sexagenary

American  

[sek-saj-uh-ner-ee] / sɛkˈsædʒ əˌnɛr i /

adjective

1. of or relating to the number 60.

2. composed of or proceeding by sixties.

3. sexagenarian.

---

noun

plural

sexagenaries

1. a sexagenarian.

Usage

What does sexagenary mean? Sexagenary is a less common word for a sexagenarian—someone in their 60s (60 to 69 years old), or someone who is 60 years old. Like sexagenarian, sexagenary can also be used as an adjective to describe someone in their 60s, as in Our audience is mostly made up of sexagenary women, or things related to such a person, as in I have entered my sexagenary years. The similar term septuagenary can refer to or describe someone in their 70s. Terms with the same ending as sexagenarian include quadragenarian (40s), quinquagenarian (50s), septuagenarian (70s), octogenarian (80s), and nonagenarian (90s). Sexagenary can also be used as an adjective to describe things involving the number 60 or to mean composed of or proceeding by 60s. Notably, the Chinese calendar is based on a sexagenary cycle, meaning each cycle lasts 60 years. Example: Today is my last day as a sexagenary—tomorrow I begin my 70s!

Etymology

Origin of sexagenary

1525–35; < Latin sexāgēnārius, equivalent to sexāgēn ( ī ), distributive of sexāgintā sixty + -ārius -ary

Example Sentences

The third system was that of the sexagenary cycle.

From A History of the Japanese People From the Earliest Times to the End of the Meiji Era by Brinkley, F. (Frank)

The child, now a sexagenary, disclosed it to the municipiality.

From Scientific American magazine, Vol. 2 Issue 1 The advocate of Industry and Journal of Scientific, Mechanical and Other Improvements by Porter, Rufus

The child, now a sexagenary, disclosed it to the municipality.

From Scientific American magazine Vol 2. No. 3 Oct 10 1846 The Advocate of Industry and Journal of Scientific, Mechanical and Other Improvements by Porter, Rufus

I have another dear friend, who is a sexagenary bachelor.

From Hyperion by Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth

It was Ta-nao, Minister to the Emperor Hwang-ti, who, by command of his Sovereign, devised the sexagenary cycle.

From The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Yule, Henry