noun
Common
Olds
Olds (noun) means Informal, plural term for one's parents. Example: “I'm staying at my olds' place this weekend.”
noun
1
Informal, plural term for one's parents.
"I'm staying at my olds' place this weekend."
2
Informal term for older people in general, especially as seen by a younger speaker.
"The olds won't understand this meme."
How to use Olds
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSlang for parents, or for older people generally, used mostly by younger speakers.
When to use it
Informal slang, common in casual speech and online, not used in formal writing.
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Word forms
- Singular
- old
- Plural
- Oldses
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I'm staying at my _____' place this weekend.
Etymology
Formed from "old" plus the plural "-s", echoing older phrases like "old folks".
Synonyms
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Rhymes for Olds
See all rhymes for Olds →Frequently asked questions
What does “Olds” mean?
The word “Olds” means informal, plural term for one's parents. In plain terms, slang for parents, or for older people generally, used mostly by younger speakers.
How do you use “Olds” in a sentence?
Here is “Olds” used in a sentence: “I'm staying at my olds' place this weekend.”
What part of speech is “Olds”?
“Olds” is a noun.
Is “Olds” a common word?
“Olds” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Olds” have?
“Olds” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: informal, plural term for one's parents.
What is the difference between "the olds" and "elders"?
Olds is an informal, usually jokey term used by younger speakers for their parents or for older people in general. Elders is a neutral or respectful word for older members of a community, so the two differ sharply in register: "respect your elders" is earnest, while "my olds" is deliberately casual.
Is it rude to call people "the olds"?
It depends on tone and audience. Olds is informal and usually tongue-in-cheek, and many people use it affectionately for their own parents, but because it frames people primarily by age it can come across as dismissive when applied to older people generally.
Who counts as "the olds"?
There is no fixed age. Olds is a relative, informal term: it can mean the speaker's own parents, or older people in general as seen from a younger speaker's point of view, so who qualifies shifts with whoever is speaking.
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