elderly

1 of 2

adjective

el·​der·​ly ˈel-dər-lē How to pronounce elderly (audio)
1
a
: rather old
especially : being past middle age
2
: of, relating to, or characteristic of later life or elderly persons
elderliness noun

elderly

2 of 2

noun

plural elderly or elderlies
: an elderly person

Examples of elderly in a Sentence

Adjective The program is intended to provide medical care for elderly people. elderly people who stay active are usually the healthiest and the happiest
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
People who are elderly, sick, or disabled may not be capable of flight. Sarah E. Parkinson, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2024 The flash-forward also features Lori Loughlin as an elderly version of her character, Becky, complete with an exaggeratedly wide prosthetic derriere. John Russell, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024 The victims were from Central America, Venezuela and Colombia and included mothers traveling with babies, elderly people and large families. Emily Green, ProPublica, 1 Nov. 2024 Figures released this week by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) suggest that 23,000 of those killed were children, women and elderly, while 16,735 were men. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for elderly 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1819, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of elderly was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near elderly

Cite this Entry

“Elderly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elderly. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

elderly

adjective
el·​der·​ly
ˈel-dər-lē
1
: rather old
especially : past middle age
2
: of or relating to later life or elderly persons
elderliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on elderly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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