age-old

[ eyj-ohld ]

adjective

1. ancient; from time immemorial:

   an age-old tradition.

age-old

adjective

1. very old or of long duration; ancient

Word History and Origins

Origin of age-old¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Harvesting olives is an age-old ritual and also an economic necessity for many Palestinians, but, according to the UN, it is increasingly precarious.

From BBC

The first was an age-old animation problem: creating realistic water.

From Los Angeles Times

Critics accuse Kenya of abandoning an age-old legal principle of "non-refoulement", which prohibits the forced return of people to countries where they may face persecution.

From BBC

They are accused of ignoring environmental concerns and taking to heart an age-old saying: "There is no land in Ghana which doesn’t have gold, even in the top soil. Ghana is gold."

From BBC

They had encountered an age-old phenomenon common in insular communities cut off from home.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ancient
• antiquated
• archaic
• hoary
• old-fashioned
• timeworn
• well-established