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elderly

1 of 2

adjective

el·​der·​ly ˈel-dər-lē How to pronounce elderly (audio)
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
The housing complex consisted of eight buildings with almost 2,000 apartments housing about 4,800 residents, including many elderly people. Chan Ho-Him and Ken Moritsugu The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 27 Nov. 2025 Throughout the next few hours, horrified onlookers watched as the complex – home to more than 4,000 people, many of them elderly – rapidly became engulfed in flames. Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 27 Nov. 2025 Listeria can cause severe and sometimes fatal infections, especially among high-risk populations such as young children, elderly individuals, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems. Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025 Now, Jimenez Almaras’s mother no longer works in the fields, but instead in an elderly care home. Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 27 Nov. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Elderly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elderly. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.

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
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