age

1 of 3

noun

ˈāj 

1

a

: the time of life at which some particular qualification, power, or capacity arises or rests

the voting age is 18

specifically : majority

b

: one of the stages of life

c

: the length of an existence extending from the beginning to any given time

a boy 10 years of age

d

: lifetime

e

: an advanced stage of life

2

: a period of time dominated by a central figure or prominent feature

the age of Pericles

: such as

a

: a period in history or human progress

the age of reptiles

the age of exploration

b

: a cultural period marked by the prominence of a particular item

entering the atomic age

c

: a division of geologic time that is usually shorter than an epoch

3

a

: the period contemporary with a person's lifetime or with his or her active life

b

: a long time

—usually used in plural

haven't seen him in ages

c

: generation

4

: an individual's development measured in terms of the years requisite for like development of an average individual

age

2 of 3

verb

aged; aging or ageing

intransitive verb

1

: to become old : show the effects or the characteristics of increasing age

2

: to acquire a desirable quality (such as mellowness or ripeness) by standing undisturbed for some time

letting cheese age

transitive verb

1

: to cause to become old

2

: to bring to a state fit for use or to maturity

-age

3 of 3

noun suffix

1

: aggregate : collection

trackage

2

a

: action : process

haulage

b

: cumulative result of

breakage

c

: rate of

dosage

3

: house or place of

orphanage

4

: state : rank

peonage

5

: charge

postage

Synonyms

Noun

• day
• epoch
• era
• period
• time

Verb

• develop
• grow
• grow up
• mature
• progress
• ripen

Choose the Right Synonym for age

period, epoch, era, age mean a division of time.

period may designate an extent of time of any length.

periods of economic prosperity

epoch applies to a period begun or set off by some significant or striking quality, change, or series of events.

the steam engine marked a new epoch in industry

era suggests a period of history marked by a new or distinct order of things.

the era of global communications

age is used frequently of a fairly definite period dominated by a prominent figure or feature.

the age of Samuel Johnson

Examples of age in a Sentence

Noun

Some people are reluctant to reveal their ages.

She died tragically at a young age.

The treatment depends on the sex and age of the patient.

She died at the ripe old age of 90.

The movie appeals to people of all ages.

Their son needs to spend more time with children his own age.

a group of children ranging in age from 8 to 11

The program is for people over age 50.

groups of people classified by race and age

Verb

As he aged he grew more and more bitter.

You haven't aged a day since I saw you last!

His troubles have aged him.

Exposure to the sun has aged her skin.

The wine ages in oak barrels.

The wine is aged in oak barrels.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Dangerous complications The study, published Friday in the journal JAMA Health Forum, analyzed claims from an insurance database of people ages 15 and older to determine the number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to alcohol abuse during the pandemic. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024

That average age of onset for the disease is in an individual’s early 60s. —Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024

The tunes function as intergenerational bridges: proof that age doesn’t grant you all the answers. —Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024

Mobile or printed tickets are required to enter performances, but kids ages two and under don't need them. —The Indianapolis Star, 12 Apr. 2024

The government has struggled to generate enough jobs, especially for young people under the age of 35, who make up more than 65% of the Indian population. —Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024

According to Durante, age is important for the general conservation and management of a species, whether or not it is commercially fished. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Apr. 2024

The study took place from 2020 through 2022 and participants were equally split between healthy men and women with an average age of 26. —Akshay Syal, M.d., NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024

His column focuses on the blessings and burdens of advancing age — and how some folks are challenging the stigma associated with older adults. —Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024

Verb

This is a starter set: appropriate for kids aging out of LEGO Duplo toys but who aren't old enough for more complex Legos yet. —Ashley Ziegler, Parents, 13 Apr. 2024

Bulleit opened its own distillery in Shelbyville, Kentucky in 2017, but that whiskey is still aging and has yet to be released. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 11 Apr. 2024

Other possible reasons for the cancelation include a shift in focus from the original premise, younger actors aging out of their roles, another spinoff series in development and the desire to avoid the inevitable storyline of Sheldon's father having an affair and dying. —Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2024

That smile would age into something altogether different — innocence becoming an altogether different keyword — for Simpson, who died Thursday at 76 of cancer. —Wil Haygood, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024

They were all killed, aged 14 to 17, when the Crumbley son, Ethan, went on a shooting rampage at Oxford High School in Michigan on November 30th, 2021. —Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024

Populations worldwide are aging quickly, a trend not spared even among traditional labor-sending and lower-income countries, with Africa being the lone exception. —Miglė Petrauskaitė, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2024

Related article At least 7 children, aged 12 to 17, were wounded in a shooting in downtown Indianapolis, police say Police didn’t name the others who were shot. —Melissa Alonso, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024

The liquid starts as standard Woodford Reserve bourbon aged from five to seven years that was then placed into a Cognac cask for an additional eight years. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French aage, age (earlier Old French edage, eage), from eé, aé "age, lifetime" (going back to Latin aetāt-, aetās, contraction of earlier aevitās, from aevum "time, lifetime" + -itāt-, -itās -ity) + -age -age — more at aye entry 3

Verb

Middle English agen, derivative of age age entry 1

Noun suffix

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Latin -āticum (as in viāticum "provision for a journey"), neuter of -āticus, adjective suffix of appurtenance, perhaps originally from -āt- (from past participles of first conjugation verbs, as in vēnāticus "used for hunting," from vēnātus, past participle of vēnārī "to hunt") + -icus -ic entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing age

• advanced in age/years
• act one's age
• age difference
• age-group
• age limit
• age-mate
• at an advanced age
• at/from an early age
• age-old
• age of consent
• chronological age
• coming-of-age
• at one's age
• age-related macular degeneration
• at the age of
• age of reason
• age spots
• in a coon's age
• for one's age
• half someone's age
• golden age
• feel one's age
• drinking age
• coon's age
• come of age
• in one's old age
• in a dog's age
• at the tender age
• legal age
• in this day and age
• mental age
• new age
• of a certain age
• of advanced age/years
• of age
• middle age
• old age
• (one's) age is catching up to one
• ripe old age
• on the wrong side of (an age)
• on the right side of (an age)
• silver age
• school-age
• space-age
• tender (young) age
• dark age
• ice age

Kids Definition

age

1 of 3 noun

ˈāj 

1

a

: the time of life when a person attains some right or capacity

the voting age is 18

especially : majority sense 1

come of age

b

: the time from birth to a specified date

a child six years of age

c

: normal lifetime

d

: the later part of life

youth and age

2

: a period of time associated with a particular person or thing

machine age

Age of Discovery

3

: a long period of time

did it ages ago

age

2 of 3 verb

aged; aging or ageing

1

: to become or cause to become old or old in appearance

his troubles aged him

2

: to become or cause to become mellow or mature : ripen

letting cheese age

-age

3 of 3 noun suffix

ij

1

: total amount : collection

mileage

2

a

: action : process

coverage

b

: result of

breakage

c

: rate of

dosage

3

: house or place of

orphanage

4

: state : status

bondage

5

: fee : charge

postage

Etymology

Noun suffix

Middle English -age "collection," from early French -age (same meaning), from Latin -aticum, suffix of mass and abstract nouns

Medical Definition

age

1 of 2 noun

ˈāj 

1

a

: the part of life from birth to a given time

a child 10 years of age

b

: the time or part of life at which some particular event, qualification, or capacity arises, occurs, or is lost

of reproductive age

age of onset

see middle age

c

: an advanced stage of life

2

: an individual's development measured in terms of the years requisite for like development of an average individual

a child of 7 with a mental age of 10

see binet age, mental age

age

2 of 2 verb

aged; aging or ageing

intransitive verb

: to become old : show the effects or the characteristics of increasing age

transitive verb

: to cause to become old

Legal Definition

age

noun

: the time of life at which some particular qualification, power, or capacity arises

the voting age is 18

see also legal age, majority