septuagenarian

[ sep-choo-uh-juh-nair-ee-uhn, -too-, -tyoo- ]

adjective

1. of the age of 70 years or between 70 and 80 years old.

noun

1. a septuagenarian person.

septuagenarian

/ ˌsɛptjʊədʒɪˈnɛərɪən /

noun

1. a person who is from 70 to 79 years old

adjective

1. being between 70 and 79 years old
2. of or relating to a septuagenarian

Word History and Origins

Origin of septuagenarian¹

1705–15; < Latin septuāgēnāri ( us ) ( septuagenary ) + -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of septuagenarian¹

C18: from Latin septuāgēnārius, from septuāgēnī seventy each, from septuāgintā seventy

Example Sentences

Now, with more than 293,000 followers — at least 35,000 of whom were accumulated in the weeks since I spoke to him for this piece — Stratford finds himself enjoying a newfound platform that few other septuagenarian gardeners can claim.

From Eater

It even won praise from Murakami, despite Kawakami having earlier criticized the septuagenarian’s books for sexism.

From Ozy

Sharon Shakked and her septuagenarian parents live in the Bay Area, where vaccine appointments have been beyond scarce.

From Washington Post

Ivory Coast’s septuagenarian President Alassane Ouattara had previously pledged to step down after two terms.

From Ozy

Come November, we’ll have two septuagenarian candidates facing off.

From Vox

The septuagenarian duo of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi will be able to keep their chauffer-driven, taxpayer-funded limos.

From The Daily Beast

The septuagenarian was present during the search, according to the report.

From The Daily Beast

Andrew Romano sends the septuagenarian Stone a birthday wish.

From The Daily Beast

When you give an underfunded septuagenarian four out of 10 votes in a moderate state, something is most definitely wrong.

From The Daily Beast

The libertarian septuagenarian outpaced Huntsman, Gingrich, and Iowa flash-in-the-pan Rick Santorum.

From The Daily Beast

A stalwart six-foot septuagenarian does not thus comport himself toward a small gentleman of thirty or forty.

From Project Gutenberg

He had before him the operatic universe; and it was to arouse this that he sat him down to write when almost a septuagenarian.

From Project Gutenberg

It was the Bacchic priest, a good-humoured septuagenarian, who had pinched the bare elbow of a comely Bacchante.

From Project Gutenberg

He tells, too, of a Fondue party he threw for a couple of his septuagenarian cousins in Paris "about the year 1801."

From Project Gutenberg

It was the septuagenarian bishop Purpuris, 273 recalled from exile by Julian.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Septuagenarian

What does septuagenarian mean?

A septuagenarian is someone in their 70s (70 to 79 years old), or someone who is 70 years old.

Septuagenarian can also be used as an adjective to describe someone in their 70s, as in Our audience is mostly made up of septuagenarian women, or things related to such a person, as in I have entered my septuagenarian years. 

It’s one of several similar terms used to refer to a person of a certain age, including quadragenarian (40s), quinquagenarian (50s), sexagenarian (60s), octogenarian (80s), and nonagenarian (90s).

Such words are more commonly used as people get older: quadragenarian and quinquagenarian are rarely used, but septuagenarian and octogenarian are more commonly used.

Another word for septuagenarian is septuagenary.

Example: Today is my last day as a septuagenarian—tomorrow I begin my 80s!

Where does septuagenarian come from?

The word septuagenarian comes from the Latin word septuāgēnārius, from septuāgēnī, meaning “seventy each,” from septuāgintā, “seventy.” The suffix -an is used to indicate a person (as seen in common words like pedestrian and historian).

It’s more common to refer to someone as a 70-year-old or describe them as in their 70s or 70-something than to call them a septuagenarian. But septuagenarian is used as a fancy or fun way of referring to someone of that age, including by septuagenarians who apply it to themselves. As much fun as it is to say, it’s perhaps more often used in writing. It’s often used in the context of highlighting a person who’s doing something that may be surprising for their age, as in My septuagenarian yoga instructor is way more flexible than I am.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for septuagenarian?

• septuagenary
• 70-year-old
• seventy-year-old
• 70-something
• seventy-something

What are some words that share a root or word element with septuagenarian? 

• Septuagint
• Septuagesima
• quadragenarian
• quinquagenarian
• sexagenarian
• octogenarian
• nonagenarian
• centenarian

What are some words that often get used in discussing septuagenarian?

• seventy
• age
• year
• old
• decade
• life
• birthday
• milestone

How is septuagenarian used in real life?

Septuagenarian is often used to be fancy or funny when referring to 70-somethings.

Septuagenarian endurance phenom Gene Dykes shares the secrets to running a 2:54 marathon at age 70. https://t.co/Z9K4ZTYI09

— PodiumRunner (@PodiumRunner) June 16, 2020

My septuagenarian lawyer mother discovered youtube and the tone of her texts is like a seventh grader who just heard The Doors for the first time.

— Taffeta V. (@TaffetaV) July 22, 2020

Former septuagenarian boss called me to explain to him how iCloud works and how can we free up his iPhone storage. Took us 1 hour just to cover the iCloud and another one on copy-pasting pictures from iPhone to desktop. 🤦🏻‍♂️

I love him but this is too much. 😂😭

— Clint Bondat (@makinanimoniko) July 16, 2020

 

 

Try using septuagenarian!

Is septuagenarian used correctly in the following sentence?

Most of my fondest memories have come from my septuagenarian years.