wizened

American  

[wiz-uhnd, wee-zuhnd] / ˈwɪz ənd, ˈwi zənd /

adjective

1. withered; shriveled.

   a wizened old man; wizened features.

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wizened British  

/ ˈwɪzənd /

adjective

1. shrivelled, wrinkled, or dried up, esp with age

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Etymology

Origin of wizened

First recorded in 1505–15; wizen + -ed ²

Explanation

"You're looking quite wizened today," is a something you should never, ever say to your grandmother, no matter how shriveled with age she might be. Think of a caricature of a witch — not your beloved granny. The verb wizen has fallen out of usage, but the past participle, wizened, continues to function as an adjective meaning wrinkled and shrunken with age or disease. You will see lots of elderly, wizened faces at the park feeding the birds and watching the children play. Although you might expect that folks with lined faces have learned a thing or two, there is no etymological connection between wizened and wise.

Example Sentences

But the admiring, even celebratory, tone of these paeans to hot actresses remaining hot well past Hollywood’s traditional expiration date masks the shadow side of this phenomenon: The wizened, terrifying hag.

From Salon • Jan. 23, 2025

This means that the youngest caterpillars are usually all black, while more colorful caterpillars tend to be the wizened, elders of a given population.

From National Geographic • Nov. 29, 2023

Blackened and wizened trees clung to the hillsides that ringed Oak Glen, and signs warned of an increased risk of flooding in areas that had burned in past wildfires.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 21, 2023

That’s either because we are wizened doctrinal experts or because we have been institutionalized into submission.

From Slate • May 22, 2023

She pointed to a stall where a wizened little woman was grill-ing meat and onions on a hot firestone.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin