elderly

1 of 2

adjective

el·​der·​ly ˈel-dər-lē How to pronounce elderly (audio)
Synonyms of elderlynext
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
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Adjective
Yura’s nemeses, who are part of her elderly father’s underwater court, seem to be after her magical flute, an ancient device that controls their kingdom’s dragon. Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 1 May 2026 An elderly man was killed Thursday in an early morning house fire on the city’s Northwest Side, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026 Another strike hit close to a Red Crescent rehabilitation center in Tehran that served children, elderly people and people with disabilities, causing damage. Bassam Hatoum, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026 An elderly man offered a smirk for his mugshot after being arrested in a caught-on-camera hit-and-run involving a cyclist group. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Elderly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elderly. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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

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