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
Regardless, much of the developing world is made up of much younger countries, with populations in Africa, for example, at much lower risk of serious outcomes from COVID-19 than elderly individuals with comorbidities in the United States or Western Europe. Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026 Soft robots equipped with advanced sensing could eventually help elderly users, assist caregivers, or support surgeons during minimally invasive procedures. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026 Three people who were on the ship have died, including an elderly Dutch couple who are thought to have caught the virus while sightseeing in Argentina before joining the cruise. Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 8 May 2026 Many of these elderly citizens have left their homes empty and moved into care facilities or the homes of family members. Mark Dent, HubSpot, 8 May 2026 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 9 May. 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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster