old

noun

1

: one of a specified age

—usually used in combination

a 3-year-old

2

: old or earlier time

—used in the phrase of old

the cavalry of old

Examples of old in a Sentence

Young and old alike will enjoy the movie.

Recent Examples on the Web

In Texas, 17-year-olds are considered adults. —Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 4 June 2026

Investigators said the 15-year-olds robbed Perry of a BB gun. —Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 4 June 2026

Fifteen-year-olds Noah Cianciulli and Gabriel Benjamin play for Fort Lauderdale United and Didier Gabriel, 16, plays for Wolves. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 June 2026

By Kristy Alpert The New York Times Like many 19-year-olds of her generation, Makai Wallace, from South Jordan, Utah, cares deeply about her friends, her skin care routine and staying healthy. —The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing old

• a doddering old fool
• age-old
• any old
• any old day
• as old as the hills
• (as) tough as old boots
• chip off the old block
• dirty old man
• for old times' sake
• give it the old college try
• good old
• good old boy
• grand old man
• in one's old age
• know (someone) of old
• money for old rope
• of old
• old-age
• old before one's time
• old boy
• old boy network
• old boys' network
• old country
• old enough to know better
• old-fashioned
• old friend
• old girl
• old goat
• old gold
• old-growth
• old guard
• old habits die hard
• old hand
• old hat
• old lady
• old-line
• old maid
• old man
• old-man's beard
• old master
• old money
• old news
• old rose
• old salt
• old-school
• old school tie
• old-shoe
• old sledge
• old stagers
• old style
• old-time
• old-timer
• old-timey
• old wives' tale
• old-world
• one's old self
• reopen old wounds
• returned to her old self
• ripe old age
• same old
• same old song
• same old song and dance
• same old story
• the good old days
• the old Adam
• the old country
• the old guard
• the old school
• there's no fool like an old fool
• the same old
• the same old story
• up to one's (old) tricks
• you can't teach an old dog new tricks
• young and old
• young/old for one's years

Rhymes for old

• bold
• bowled
• cold
• doled
• foaled
• fold
• gold
• hold
• holed
• mould
• poled
• polled

Kids Definition

old

1 of 2 adjective

ˈōld 

1

a

: dating from the distant past

an old custom

b

: having lasted or been such for a long time

an old friend

2

capitalized : belonging to an early period in development

Old Irish

3

: having existed for a specified length of time

a child three years old

4

: having lived a long time

old people

5

: former sense 1

my old teachers

6

: showing the effects of time or use

wore an old coat

7

: long familiar

it's still the same old story

old

2 of 2 noun

: old or earlier time

in days of old