elderly
[ el-der-lee ]
adjective
of advanced age; old: discounts for elderly patrons.
of or relating to persons in later life.
Origin of elderly
1Other words from elderly
- eld·er·li·ness, noun
- non·eld·er·ly, noun
- un·eld·er·ly, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for elderly
elderly
/ (ˈɛldəlɪ) /
adjective(of people)
quite old; past middle age
(as collective noun; preceded by the): the elderly Related adjective: geriatric
usage For elderly
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
Derived forms of elderly
- elderliness, noun
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
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