old

[ ohld ]

adjective

, old·er [ohl, -der], old·est [ohl, -dist] or eld·er [el, -der], eld·est [el, -dist].

1. far advanced in the years of one's or its life:

   an old man;

   an old horse;

   an old tree.

   Antonyms: young

2. of or relating to the latter part of the life or term of existence of a person or thing:

   old age.

3. as if or appearing to be far advanced in years:

   Worry had made him old.

4. having lived or existed for a specified time: a century-old organization.

   a man 30 years old;

   a century-old organization.

5. having lived or existed as specified with relation to younger or newer persons or things:

   Jim is our oldest boy.

6. having been aged for a specified time:

   This whiskey is eight years old.

7. having been aged for a comparatively long time:

   old brandy.

8. long known or in use:

   the same old excuse.

9. overfamiliar to the point of tedium:

   Some jokes get old fast.

   Synonyms: early, olden

10. belonging to the past:

    the good old days.

11. having been in existence since the distant past:

    a fine old family.

12. no longer in general use:

    Our dishwasher is an old model, so replacement parts are hard to find.

13. acquired, made, or in use by one prior to the acquisition, making, or use of something more recent:

    When the new house was built, we sold the old one.

14. of, relating to, or originating at an earlier period or date:

    old maps.

15. former; having been so formerly:

    I ran into my old piano teacher the other day.

16. prehistoric; ancient:

    There may have been an old land bridge between Asia and Alaska.

17. Old, (of a language) in its oldest known period, as attested by the earliest written records:

    Old Czech.

18. experienced:

    He's an old hand at welding.

19. of long standing; having been such for a comparatively long time:

    an old and trusted employee.

20. (of colors) dull, faded, or subdued:

    old rose.

21. deteriorated through age or long use; worn, decayed, or dilapidated:

    old clothes.

22. Physical Geography. (of landforms) far advanced in reduction by erosion or the like.
23. sedate, sensible, mature, or wise:

    That child seems old beyond his years.

24. (used to indicate affection, familiarity, disparagement, or a personalization): that dirty old jalopy.

    good old Bob;

    that dirty old jalopy.

25. Informal. (used as an intensive) great; uncommon:

    a high old time.

noun

1. Usually the old. (used with a plural verb) old persons collectively:

   appropriations to care for the old.

2. a person or animal of a specified age or age group (used in combination): a horse race for three-year-olds.

   a class for six-year-olds;

   a horse race for three-year-olds.

3. old or former time, often time long past:

   days of old.

old

/ əʊld /

adjective

1. having lived or existed for a relatively long time

   an old man

   an old country

   old wine

   an old house

   an old tradition

2. 1. of or relating to advanced years or a long life

      old age

   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the old

   3. people of all ages
3. decrepit or senile
4. worn with age or use

   old clothes

   an old car

5. 1. postpositive having lived or existed for a specified period

      a child who is six years old

   2. ( in combination )

      a six-year-old child

   3. ( as noun in combination )

      a six-year-old

6. capital when part of a name or title earlier or earliest of two or more things with the same name

   the old edition

   the Old Testament

   old Norwich

7. capital when part of a name designating the form of a language in which the earliest known records are written

   Old English

8. prenominal familiar through long acquaintance or repetition

   an old friend

   an old excuse

9. practised; hardened

   old in cunning

10. prenominaloften preceded bygood cherished; dear: used as a term of affection or familiarity

    good old George

11. informal.
    with any of several nouns used as a familiar form of address to a person

    old thing

    old stick

    old fellow

    old bean

12. skilled through long experience (esp in the phrase an old hand )
13. out-of-date; unfashionable
14. remote or distant in origin or time of origin

    an old culture

15. prenominal former; previous

    my old house was small

16. 1. prenominal established for a relatively long time

       an old member

    2. ( in combination )

       old-established

17. sensible, wise, or mature

    old beyond one's years

18. (of a river, valley, or land surface) in the final stage of the cycle of erosion, characterized by flat extensive flood plains and minimum relief See also youthful mature
19. (intensifier) (esp in phrases such as a good old time, any old thing, any old how, etc)
20. (of crops) harvested late
21. good old days
    an earlier period of time regarded as better than the present
22. little old informal.
    indicating affection, esp humorous affection

    my little old wife

23. the old one or the old gentleman informal.
    a jocular name for Satan

noun

1. an earlier or past time (esp in the phrase of old )

   in days of old

Usage

Many people nowadays prefer to talk about older people rather than old people , and the phrase the old is best avoided altogether

Derived Forms

• ˈoldish, adjective
• ˈoldness, noun

Other Words From

• old·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of old¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English eald, ald; cognate with Dutch old, German alt, Gothic altheis; akin to Old Norse ala “to nourish”

Word History and Origins

Origin of old¹

Old English eald; related to Old Saxon ald, Old High German, German alt, Latin altus high

Idioms and Phrases

• any old
• chip off the old block
• comfortable as an old shoe
• dirty joke (old man)
• get the air (old heave-ho)
• no fool like an old fool
• of old
• ripe old age
• same old story
• settle a score (old scores)
• stamping ground, old
• teach an old dog new tricks
• up to one's old tricks

Example Sentences

I'm guessing that's because in the youth-obsessed entertainment industry, few know what it’s like to be old or conceive of that age as being a time of renewed independence and agency.

From Salon

A standout in the seventh episode chronicles the tumbling cascade of infirmities that come with old age that start with aches that never go away.

From Salon

Meanwhile, Ginger Gaetz, who wed the congressman in 2021, posted an old photo on X following his withdrawal of them both on the steps on Capitol Hill.

From BBC

HKU Faculty of Arts PhD candidate Mr Hayk Azizbekyan, who leads this research and is from Armenia himself, explained: "MR and AR headsets have never been used before at an actual archaeological excavation project to support the digging work of a team, this is our game-changing innovation! I'm excited to experiment with future ways of studying old things and preserving cultural heritage. We call this project our 'vision for the future', since the technology enables new ways of 'viewing' the past'."

From Science Daily

It is generally difficult to determine the age of cells in the human body and to decide which cells are new and which are old.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• age-old
• antique
• crumbling
• former
• old-fashioned
• old-time
• original
• outmoded
• primitive
• traditional
• venerable