oldster

[ ohld-ster ]

noun

1. an old or elderly person.
2. (in the British navy) a midshipman of four years' standing.

oldster

/ ˈəʊldstə /

noun

1. informal.
   an older person
2. navy a person who has been a midshipman for four years

Word History and Origins

Origin of oldster¹

1810–20; old + -ster, modeled on youngster

Example Sentences

They’ve been given minor individual characteristics — a hat, a vest, tattoos, glasses, jewelry, a beauty mark, freckles, wrinkled outlines for the oldsters — to keep things dramatically clear.

From Los Angeles Times

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 83, on TV recently defended the oldsters — “Age is relative” — and Biden in particular: “He’s a kid to me.”

From Los Angeles Times

One Texas newspaper described Social Security as “a huge sales tax on everybody on behalf of the oldsters.”

From New York Times

The ostensible comedic bits in which the oldsters duck each other soon give way to musty monologues on marriage — material that even the seasoned cast is unable to freshen up.

From New York Times

And he spoke as an oldster when he said, “And with the fairways being fast and firm, it allows players who are older to run the ball out there and have a chance.”

From Washington Post