fortyish

[ fawr-tee-ish ]

adjective

1. approaching or around the age of 40 years.
2. around the number 40 or a quantity of 40.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fortyish¹

First recorded in 1815–25; forty + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

In 1948, when she was 23, her hair was streaked with gray so she could play a fortyish newspaper publisher with a yen for Spencer Tracy in “State of the Union.”

From Seattle Times

In 1948, when she was 23, her hair was streaked with gray so she could play a fortyish newspaper publisher with a yen for Spencer Tracy in “State of the Union.”

From Washington Times

The Honorable Stephen Wilson, in explaining the case, tells the fortyish prospective jurors that Elon Musk “posted a series of tweets on his Twitter” very sincerely, a statement that had been tediously ironed out with both sets of lawyers the day before.

From The Verge

Last week, joined by a pastor from Fort Worth, Texas, our host spent a pleasant fortyish minutes moseying around the question of “mainstream celebrity Christian culture and how the fashion and brand-name stuff fits in.”

From The New Yorker

The fortyish pair have been bickering since we met them.

From Los Angeles Times