elderly

1 of 2

adjective

el·​der·​ly ˈel-dər-lē How to pronounce elderly (audio)
Synonyms of elderlynext
1
a
: rather old
especially : being past middle age
2
: of, relating to, or characteristic of later life or elderly persons
elderliness noun

elderly

2 of 2

noun

plural elderly or elderlies
: an elderly person

Examples of elderly in a Sentence

Adjective The program is intended to provide medical care for elderly people. elderly people who stay active are usually the healthiest and the happiest
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Kansas City firefighters found an elderly man dead inside a burning house on New Year’s Day morning. Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 1 Jan. 2026 Authorities said Iannotti’s case did not fit a Silver Alert, which is frequently used when elderly people wander from their homes. Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 1 Jan. 2026 Continue reading … SAFE RECOVERY – Police use thermal drone to find missing elderly person stranded in woods. FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025 Many of the victims are elderly rural residents, and they were attacked while hiking or picking mushrooms. Kaylah Jackson, NBC news, 31 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for elderly

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1819, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of elderly was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Elderly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elderly. Accessed 4 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

elderly

adjective
el·​der·​ly
ˈel-dər-lē
1
: rather old
especially : past middle age
2
: of or relating to later life or elderly persons
elderliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on elderly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!