elderly
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eld·er·ly
(ĕl′dər-lē)adj.
1. Being past middle age and approaching old age; rather old.
2. Of, relating to, or characteristic of older persons or life in later years.
n.
1. pl. eld·er·lies An elderly person.
2. pl. elderly (used with a pl. verb) Older people considered as a group. Often used with the: special recreational programs for the elderly.
el′der·li·ness n.
Usage Note: Elderly applies to the stage of life well past middle age. When used as a noun in referring to older persons in general, it is relatively neutral, denoting a group of people whose common characteristic is advanced age: policy issues of special interest to the elderly. However, when used as an adjective in describing a particular person, elderly has a range of connotations that go beyond the denotation of chronological age. On the one hand it can suggest dignity, and its somewhat formal tone may express respect: sat next to an elderly gentleman at the concert. On the other hand it can imply frailty or diminished capacity, in which case it may sound condescending: was stuck in traffic behind an elderly driver. Regardless of other connotations, a phrase such as the elderly couple in the second row suggests greater age than if the couple were described as older. See Usage Note at senior.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
elderly
(ˈɛldəlɪ)(of people) adj
a. quite old; past middle age
b. (as collective noun; preceded by the): the elderly. geriatric
ˈelderliness n
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
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
eld•er•ly
(ˈɛl dər li)adj.
1. approaching old age.
2. of or pertaining to persons in later life.
n. 3. the elderly, elderly persons collectively.
[1605–15]
eld′er•li•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. |  elderly - people who are old collectively; "special arrangements were available for the aged" |
| Adj. | 1. |  elderly - advanced in years; (`aged' is pronounced as two syllables); "aged members of the society"; "elderly residents could remember the construction of the first skyscraper"; "senior citizen"old - (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age; "his mother is very old"; "a ripe old age"; "how old are you?" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
elderly
adjective
1. old, aged, ageing, ancient, mature, past it, venerable, patriarchal, grey-haired, geriatric (derogatory), getting on, over the hill (informal), grizzled, decrepit, hoary, superannuated, long in the tooth (informal), grey, doddery, senescent, advanced in years, full of years, past your prime There was an elderly couple on the terrace.
plural noun
1. old people, pensioners, senior citizens, geriatrics (derogatory), OAPs, retired people, old age pensioners, wrinklies (informal, derogatory) The elderly are a formidable force in any election.
Related words
adjective geriatric
adjective geriatric
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
elderly
adjectiveThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
كَهْل، مُسِن، مُتَقَدِّم في السِّنمُسِنّ
postarší
ældre
iäkäs
stariji
roskinn, yfir miîjum aldri
年配の
나이가 지긋한
postarší
starejši ljudje
äldre
สูงวัย
yaşını başını almışyaşlıcayaşlılar
cao tuổi
elderly
[ˈeldəlɪ]Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
elder1
(ˈeldə) adjective (often of members of a family) older; senior. He has three elder sisters; He is the elder of the two.
noun1. a person who is older. Take the advice of your elders.
2. an office-bearer in Presbyterian churches.
ˈelderly adjective (rather) old. an elderly lady.
ˈeldest adjective oldest. She is the eldest of the three children.
the elderly people who are (rather) old. It is important for the elderly to take some exercise.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
elderly
→ مُسِنّ postarší ældre ältlich ηλικιωμένος anciano iäkäs âgé stariji anziano 年配の 나이가 지긋한 bejaard tilårskommen starszy idoso пожилой äldre สูงวัย yaşlılar cao tuổi 年过中年的Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
elderly
adv. de avanzada edad.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
elderly
adj de edad avanzada, mayorEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.