elderly

1 of 2

adjective

el·​der·​ly ˈel-dər-lē How to pronounce elderly (audio)
Synonyms of elderly
1
a
: rather old
especially : being past middle age
b
: old-fashioned
2
: of, relating to, or characteristic of later life or elderly persons
elderliness noun

elderly

2 of 2

noun

plural elderly or elderlies
: an elderly person

Synonyms of elderly

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Adjective

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Examples of elderly in a Sentence

Adjective The program is intended to provide medical care for elderly people. elderly people who stay active are usually the healthiest and the happiest
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
The Syrian government disputed the claim, saying the strikes left five dead, including women and children, as well as an elderly man. — Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026 At some military gates, people passed sacks of flour and gas canisters through the gates, while an elderly man pushed his wife in a wheelchair through an opening beside one of them. — Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026 Oleshky, located across the Dnipro River from Kherson, has a remaining population of 1,700 to 2,000 people — primarily elderly residents, along with about 50 children — down from roughly 24,000 before the war, ‌the White House said. — Reuters, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026 An elderly pedestrian was killed after he was struck by two vehicles on Interstate 80 early Thursday morning, authorities said. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for elderly

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1819, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of elderly was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing elderly

Browse Nearby Words

elderliness
elderly
eldern
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Cite this Entry

“Elderly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elderly. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

elderly

adjective
el·​der·​ly
ˈel-dər-lē
1
: rather old
especially : past middle age
2
: of or relating to later life or elderly persons
elderliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on elderly

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about elderly

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