Methuselah

American  

[muh-thoo-zuh-luh, -thooz-luh] / məˈθu zə lə, -ˈθuz lə /

noun

1. (in the Bible) a patriarch who is said to have lived 969 years.

2. an extremely old man.

3. a very large wine bottle holding 6½ quarts (6 liters).

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Methuselah ¹ British  

/ mɪˈθjuːzələ /

noun

1. Douay spelling: Mathusala.  Old Testament a patriarch supposed to have lived 969 years (Genesis 5:21–27) who has come to be regarded as epitomizing longevity

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Methuselah ² British  

/ məˈθjuːzələ /

noun

1. a wine bottle holding the equivalent of eight normal bottles

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Methuselah Cultural  

1. The oldest man mentioned in the Bible (see also Bible); according to the Book of Genesis, he was the grandfather of Noah and lived to be 969 years old.

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Discover More

Figuratively, a “Methuselah” is an extremely old person.

Etymology

Origin of Methuselah

Ultimately from Hebrew Mĕthūshelaḥ; of uncertain meaning, perhaps “man of (the deity) Shela”

Example Sentences

"But I cannot go to your own village and contest for office there and expect to win," said 32-year-old Methuselah Jeji.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

He’s also become the pale face of the academy, which also houses a 93-year-old fish named Methuselah.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 16, 2025

In one such project, a student set out to determine the average lifespan of bella moth adults and inadvertently stumbled across the Methuselah of the moth world.

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2024

After five to 10 years—or, for one Methuselah, 22 years—the eels undergo a final metamorphosis into chonky silver eels and make one last journey to their original birthing grounds near the Mariana Islands to spawn.

From National Geographic • Feb. 9, 2024

Matthias tried questioning Brother Methuselah further, but the warm sun had worked its magic upon the old gatekeeper as he sat in the orchard savoring the peace and tranquility of a June afternoon.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques