noun
elderly person
EL-duh-lee PUR-suhn
Elderly person (noun) means someone who is old, usually taken to mean a person past retirement age, roughly 65 or over. Example: “The scheme delivers hot meals to any elderly person living alone.”
noun
1
Someone who is old, usually taken to mean a person past retirement age, roughly 65 or over.
"The scheme delivers hot meals to any elderly person living alone."
"An elderly person fell on the ice outside the surgery."
How to use elderly person
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old person, usually someone over about 65.
When to use it
Neutral in medical and news writing, but 'older person' is now generally preferred as more respectful.
Memory tip
'Elderly' is an adjective, so say 'an elderly person'; using 'an elderly' as a noun sounds wrong in English.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
frail elderly person
an elderly person living alone
care for an elderly person
elderly relative
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The scheme delivers hot meals to any _____ living alone.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for elderly person
person
Gerson
Emerson
Pierson
Iverson
Anderson
Paterson
Peterson
Amberson
Jefferson
Henderson
Patterson
See all rhymes for elderly person →
Frequently asked questions
Is 'elderly person' offensive?
It is not a slur, but many older people dislike it because it suggests frailty and dependence rather than simply age. Ageing charities and style guides increasingly prefer 'older person' or 'older adult', and 'elderly' is best kept for contexts where frailty is genuinely relevant.
At what age is someone considered elderly?
There is no fixed definition. Most health services and statistics use 65 and over, matching traditional retirement age, while some studies split this further into 65 to 74, 75 to 84 and 85 plus.
What is the difference between elderly and senior?
'Senior' or 'senior citizen' is a neutral administrative label tied to an age threshold, common in American English and used for discounts and benefits. 'Elderly' carries stronger connotations of physical decline, which is why it is falling out of favour in careful writing.
What is the meaning of elderly person?
"elderly person" (noun) means someone who is old, usually taken to mean a person past retirement age, roughly 65 or over.
