elderly

1 of 2

adjective

el·​der·​ly ˈel-dər-lē 

1

a

: rather old

especially : being past middle age

b

: old-fashioned

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

Synonyms of elderly

Adjective

• older
• aging
• aged
• old

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

Adjective

Authorities identified one victim who was killed when an elderly driver crashed her silver Mercedes sedan into a 99 Ranch Market in Westwood Thursday — an incident that resulted in the death of three people and left several others injured. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026

They’ve been sent to play at a shuttered amusement park, whose elderly caretaker (Ayo Lijadu) is a friend of Folarin’s. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026

Read All About It Three people are dead and multiple people are injured after a car driven by an elderly woman crashed into a grocery store near UCLA. —Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 6 Feb. 2026

Please check on elderly neighbors, individuals with access or functional needs, and others who may be especially vulnerable to extreme cold. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 6 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1819, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing elderly

• the elderly

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