retirement

The word “retirement” means the act of leaving your job or career for good, usually after reaching a certain age. In plain terms, stopping work permanently, usually later in life, and the period of life that follows.

“Retirement” is pronounced ruh-TEYE-uh-muhnt (/ɹəˈtaɪə(ɹ).mənt/ in IPA).

Here is “retirement” used in a sentence: “She is counting down the days to her retirement next spring.”

“Retirement” is a noun.

The word “retirement” comes from French. From French retirement, from retirer ("to withdraw") — the same root as "retire.".

“Retirement” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

“Retirement” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the act of leaving your job or career for good, usually after reaching a certain age.

Retirement means leaving work for good, usually late in your career after reaching a certain age, and it is often permanent. Resignation means quitting a particular job, which can happen at any age and usually means moving on to something else. You resign from a role; you retire from working life altogether.

Retirement is a personal choice to leave working life for good, typically after a certain age. Redundancy happens when an employer removes a role, so the worker loses the job whether they wanted to or not. Retirement is usually planned and voluntary; redundancy is imposed by the company, often unexpectedly.

There is no single answer, as it varies by country, pension rules and personal circumstances. Many people retire in their sixties, often when a state or workplace pension becomes available. Some retire earlier if they can afford it, and others work well beyond the usual age. "A certain age" simply reflects this variation.