octogenarian

noun

oc·​to·​ge·​nar·​i·​an ˌäk-tə-jə-ˈner-ē-ən How to pronounce octogenarian (audio)
: a person whose age is in the eighties
The octogenarian uses a cane for walking.
octogenarian adjective

Examples of octogenarian in a Sentence

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.
An 85-year-old man and a second unidentified victim were removed from the burning apartment and rushed to Harlem Hospital, where the octogenarian died. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 28 June 2025 Director: Cody Sheehy The Hook: Just your typical story about an octogenarian and his favorite manta ray. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 4 June 2025 In February, the octogenarian shared a video on his Instagram of the musician performing in a record shop 2016. Marina Watts, People.com, 11 June 2025 Ralph Fiennes’s concierge is the director’s natural surrogate, the behind-the-scenes guy who tends to every detail of the hotel’s operation while going to extraordinary lengths to please the guests, even if that means bedding octogenarians. Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for octogenarian

Word History

Etymology

Latin octogenarius containing eighty, from octogeni eighty each, from octoginta eighty, from octo eight + -ginta (akin to viginti twenty) — more at vigesimal

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of octogenarian was in 1815

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Cite this Entry

“Octogenarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/octogenarian. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

octogenarian

noun
oc·​to·​ge·​nar·​i·​an ˌäk-tə-jə-ˈner-ē-ən How to pronounce octogenarian (audio)
: a person whose age is between 80 and 89

Medical Definition

octogenarian

noun
oc·​to·​ge·​nar·​i·​an ˌäk-tə-jə-ˈner-ē-ən How to pronounce octogenarian (audio)
: a person whose age is in the eighties
octogenarian adjective

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