elderly

The word “elderly” means old, especially having reached an advanced age. In plain terms, a polite, gentle way to describe someone (or people generally) who is old.

“Elderly” is pronounced EHL-duh-lee (/ˈɛldɚli/ in IPA).

Here is “elderly” used in a sentence: “They help care for an elderly neighbor who lives alone.”

Words with a similar meaning to “elderly” include elder, geriatric, gerontologic, gerontological, long in the tooth and matured.

The opposite of “elderly” — its antonyms — is young.

Depending on how it is used, “elderly” can be an adjective and a noun.

“Elderly” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Elderly” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: old, especially having reached an advanced age.

Both words describe advanced age, but elderly is generally considered gentler and more respectful, especially when applied to people. Old is broader and blunter and can describe objects and animals as well as people, whereas elderly is used almost only of people who have reached an advanced age.

Elderly is an adjective describing someone who has reached an advanced age, while senior, in this context, refers to an older person often defined by reaching a set age such as retirement. Senior is frequently used in official or commercial settings, as in senior discounts, whereas elderly is a more general description of age.

'The elderly' uses elderly as a plural noun referring to older people considered as a group, as in 'services for the elderly'. It always takes a plural verb, and many writers now prefer phrases such as 'older people' as a more person-centred alternative.