Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for elderly. Search instead for the+elderly.
Synonyms

elderly

American  
[el-der-lee] / ˈɛl dər li /

adjective

  1. of advanced age; old.

    discounts for elderly patrons.

  2. of or relating to persons in later life.

noun

(used with a plural verb)

  1. Usually the elderly elderly people collectively; senior citizens.

elderly British  
/ ˈɛldəlɪ /

adjective

    1. quite old; past middle age

    2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the elderly
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

Referring to any group using the formula the elderly , the disabled is nowadays felt to be inappropriate because it glosses over people's individuality and perpetuates stereotypes. It is preferable to use phrases such as disabled people and so forth. Many people also prefer to talk about older rather than elderly people for similar reasons

Other Word Forms

  • elderliness noun
  • nonelderly noun
  • unelderly adjective

Etymology

Origin of elderly

First recorded in 1605–15; elder 1 + -ly

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.